Why Retired IAF Vice Chief Nagesh Kapoor Raised Serious Questions Over Tejas Mk2
India’s ambitious Tejas fighter programme has come under renewed scrutiny after retired Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, who stepped down as Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force less than two months ago, raised serious concerns over the pace of India’s indigenous fighter development.
Kapoor’s comments are particularly significant because he did not simply question the technical capabilities of the Tejas Mk2. His central concern was whether the aircraft will remain sufficiently relevant if it enters frontline service in large numbers only in the mid-2030s, at a time when China is rapidly expanding its fifth-generation fighter fleet.
In an interview reported on August 22, Kapoor was asked whether it made operational sense for India to induct a fourth-generation-plus fighter around 2035 while potential adversaries move towards more advanced aircraft. His answer was blunt: “No, operationally, definitely no.”
But his position was more nuanced than the headline suggests. Kapoor did not say India has no use for Tejas Mk2. Instead, he argued that India needs it alongside more advanced aircraft, and that the entire development process needs to move much faster.
Why Did Kapoor Raise Questions About Tejas Mk2?
The biggest issue is time.
The Tejas Mk2 is designed as a larger, medium-weight fighter that is more capable than the Tejas Mk1A. However, its development has taken longer than originally expected.
According to NDTV's report, HAL had initially targeted an earlier prototype timeline, but the schedule moved repeatedly. The latest update from HAL places the Mk2's first flight between March and July 2027.
That first flight will not mean the aircraft is ready for combat.
After a prototype flies, a fighter still needs extensive flight testing, weapons integration, avionics validation, certification and operational evaluation before entering regular service. Production must then be established at a meaningful scale.
This creates the possibility that a fighter whose prototype is only beginning flight testing in 2027 could take years before large-scale induction.
That is precisely where Kapoor's concern comes in.
The Technology Gap Could Become More Important by the 2030s
Modern air combat is changing rapidly.
Fifth-generation fighters combine characteristics such as low observability or stealth, advanced sensors, sensor fusion, electronic warfare and sophisticated networking. Sixth-generation programmes are expected to push further towards autonomous systems, unmanned “wingmen”, artificial intelligence-assisted operations and highly networked combat architectures.
China already operates the J-20 fifth-generation fighter and continues to invest heavily in advanced combat aviation. Kapoor's concern is that India could still be introducing a 4.5-generation platform in substantial numbers while its principal regional competitor has moved much further ahead.
However, that does not automatically make a 4.5-generation fighter useless.
A fighter's battlefield value depends on much more than its generation label. Radar, electronic warfare, weapons, datalinks, pilot training, airborne early-warning aircraft and the wider combat network all influence effectiveness.
This is why Kapoor himself acknowledged that Tejas Mk2 could still have a role.
Then Why Does India Still Need Tejas Mk2?
This is one of the most important parts of Kapoor's argument.
India cannot realistically expect to operate only fifth- and sixth-generation fighters.
Such aircraft are extremely expensive and technologically complex. Even countries developing them are unlikely to deploy them in sufficient numbers to cover every mission and every part of a large country.
Kapoor therefore said that India could have a limited number of fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft while using aircraft in the Tejas Mk2 class to fill the remaining gaps.
In other words, the debate is not simply:
Tejas Mk2 vs AMCA.
India may need:
Tejas Mk1A + Tejas Mk2 + AMCA + other advanced fighters
to build a balanced fleet.
The problem is whether each programme can arrive at the speed required by the IAF.
Tejas Mk1A Delays Have Made the Concern More Serious
Kapoor's criticism also extends to the delayed delivery of the Tejas Mk1A.
The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹62,370-crore contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in September 2025 for 97 LCA Mk1A aircraft—68 fighters and 29 twin-seat aircraft. Deliveries under that contract are scheduled to begin in 2027-28 and continue for six years. The aircraft are planned to have more than 64% indigenous content.
The programme has faced difficulties involving engine supplies and other integration requirements.
The government said HAL entered into an agreement with GE Aerospace for 113 F404-GE-IN20 engines and support for the 97-aircraft Mk1A programme, with engine deliveries scheduled from 2027 to 2032.
For the IAF, delays are particularly sensitive because the force has an ongoing requirement to replace ageing aircraft and strengthen its fighter strength.
Kapoor's frustration was therefore broader than the Mk2 itself. He questioned why aircraft promised to the IAF years earlier continued to face delays.
The Tejas Mk2 Programme Has Another Problem: Development Speed
The latest programme schedule illustrates why the former Vice Chief is concerned.
HAL's own May 2026 investor-interaction transcript said assembly of Tejas Mk2 structures was underway and that the company expected a rollout around the end of 2026 or by March, while noting that some design-related issues also had to be resolved with the Aeronautical Development Agency.
By July 2026, the publicly reported target had moved towards a March-July 2027 first-flight window.
Even if that target is achieved, the first flight would mark the beginning of an important testing phase, not the end of development.
For a military aircraft, the difference between “prototype has flown” and “combat squadron is operational” can be several years.
That is why programme execution is becoming as important as the aircraft's design specifications.
What About AMCA?
The answer to the technological gap is expected to come partly from India's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
AMCA is intended to provide India with an indigenous fifth-generation fighter capability.
Kapoor said he wants both Tejas Mk2 and AMCA to come into service, but argued that they need to progress at a much faster pace.
His broader recommendation was that India should also examine international cooperation for sixth-generation fighter development, pointing specifically to Europe's Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and the UK-Italy-Japan Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
The suggestion reflects a strategic reality: developing cutting-edge combat aircraft is becoming increasingly expensive and technically demanding, making international partnerships attractive even for countries pursuing strong indigenous programmes.
What Does This Mean for HAL?
For investors, the Tejas debate is directly relevant to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
HAL has a major role in India's fighter manufacturing ecosystem, and the 97-aircraft Mk1A contract provides substantial order visibility. The government also says the programme involves more than 100 Indian companies in the manufacturing supply chain.
But investors should distinguish between order-book strength and execution capability.
A defence company can have a large order pipeline while still facing challenges related to production capacity, imported components, engines, certification and delivery schedules.
For HAL, the important milestones to monitor include:
Tejas Mk1A delivery progress
Engine availability
Tejas Mk2 prototype and flight-testing milestones
Production capacity expansion
AMCA programme participation and progress
Indigenous engine and avionics development
Future fighter procurement decisions by the IAF
These factors could influence both the strategic value of India's fighter programmes and the long-term business outlook for defence manufacturers.
Is Tejas Mk2 Really “Useless”?
That conclusion would be too simplistic.
Kapoor's actual argument is about operational relevance at a particular point in time.
A 4.5-generation fighter entering service today can have significant value. The same aircraft entering service many years later faces a different competitive environment.
At the same time, Tejas Mk2 could still be useful because India will need a substantial number of fighters across different missions. Fifth-generation aircraft alone are unlikely to replace the need for a larger fleet of less expensive and easier-to-operate platforms.
The key question is therefore not whether Tejas Mk2 belongs to the “right generation.”
It is whether India can ensure that the aircraft's sensors, electronic warfare systems, weapons, networking and upgrade architecture remain competitive when it finally enters service.
What Should Happen Next?
The immediate priority is execution.
India needs to get Tejas Mk1A deliveries moving, keep Tejas Mk2 development on a credible timeline and simultaneously accelerate AMCA.
At the same time, future aircraft should be designed with enough upgrade potential to remain relevant as sensors, missiles, electronic warfare and software evolve.
For the defence industry, speed cannot come at the expense of safety or testing. But excessive delays carry their own strategic cost.
Bottom Line
Retired Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor's criticism of Tejas Mk2 is fundamentally a warning about India's fighter-development timeline.
He has questioned whether a 4.5-generation aircraft entering service in large numbers during the mid-2030s will provide enough operational value against increasingly advanced Chinese fighters. At the same time, he has acknowledged that India will still need aircraft in the Tejas Mk2 class because fifth- and sixth-generation fighters are unlikely to be available in sufficient numbers for every requirement.
For India, the challenge is therefore bigger than one aircraft programme. The country needs to improve its ability to develop, test, certify and manufacture advanced fighters quickly, while building the next generation of technology through AMCA and other programmes.
For investors tracking HAL and India's defence sector, Tejas Mk1A deliveries, the Mk2 first-flight milestone and AMCA progress will be among the most important developments to watch.
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This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice
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