Tejas Mk2 May Not Be Operationally Relevant in the 2030s, Warns Ex-IAF Vice Chief Nagesh Kapoor
India’s indigenous fighter aircraft programme has come under fresh scrutiny after retired Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, former Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF), warned that the Tejas Mk2 may not remain operationally relevant in the 2030s if its development and induction take too long.
Kapoor’s comments, reported on August 22, 2026, come at a critical point for India’s military aviation plans. The country is trying to strengthen its fighter fleet, accelerate indigenous production and simultaneously develop the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
The warning does not mean that Tejas Mk2 is technically useless today or that every Tejas fighter will become obsolete in 2030. Kapoor’s central concern is about timing: if a 4.5-generation fighter enters service in large numbers only in the mid-2030s, will it provide enough of a technological edge against increasingly advanced Chinese aircraft?
That is a much bigger question for India’s defence industry—and for investors tracking Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL).
What Did Nagesh Kapoor Say About Tejas Mk2?
Kapoor, an experienced fighter pilot who has flown aircraft including the MiG-21 and MiG-29, served as Vice Chief of the Air Staff from January 1 to June 30, 2026. The Defence Ministry says he had more than 3,400 hours of flying experience and more than 39 years of service in the IAF.
In a recent interview, he was asked whether the advanced Tejas Mk2 would remain operationally relevant if it begins entering service in significant numbers during the mid-2030s, when China is expected to have a much larger fifth-generation fighter fleet.
His response was blunt: “No, operationally, definitely no.”
However, Kapoor did not dismiss the aircraft completely. He argued that India could still require aircraft in this class because fifth- and sixth-generation fighters would be too limited in number to cover every operational requirement.
His broader message was that Tejas Mk2 and AMCA should arrive much faster, while India should also consider international partnerships for future sixth-generation fighter technology.
Why Is the 2030s Timeline So Important?
Fighter technology is changing rapidly.
A modern combat aircraft is no longer judged only by speed, range or the number of missiles it can carry. Radar performance, electronic warfare, stealth characteristics, sensor fusion, data links, weapons integration and network-centric warfare increasingly determine its battlefield effectiveness.
This creates a timing problem.
An aircraft designed around today's technology can still be highly capable when it enters service. But if development stretches for many years while adversaries introduce newer platforms, its relative advantage can shrink.
This is the concern behind Kapoor's warning.
China already operates the J-20 fifth-generation fighter, while its military aviation industry continues to develop newer technologies. Kapoor's argument is that India cannot afford to spend too much time developing one generation of aircraft while potential adversaries move ahead.
Tejas Mk2 Is More Advanced Than Mk1A
It is important to distinguish between Tejas Mk1A and Tejas Mk2.
The Mk1A is the improved version of the original Light Combat Aircraft and is being procured by the IAF in substantial numbers.
In September 2025, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth more than ₹62,370 crore with HAL for 97 LCA Mk1A aircraft—68 fighters and 29 twin-seat aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027-28 and continue over six years. The aircraft are planned to have more than 64% indigenous content.
The Mk2 is a different proposition.
It is a larger medium-weight fighter intended to provide significantly greater capability than the Mk1A. Its development involves the Aeronautical Development Agency and HAL, with the GE F414 engine forming a key part of the programme.
That means the question surrounding Mk2 is not whether India should build it. The more difficult question is how quickly it can be developed, tested, certified and produced at scale.
India’s Fighter Shortage Makes Delays More Serious
The debate is particularly important because the IAF has been dealing with a shortage of fighter squadrons.
The Tejas Mk1A is therefore expected to play an important near- and medium-term role in replacing ageing aircraft and strengthening the fleet.
The government describes the Mk1A as the most advanced variant of the indigenous LCA and says it is intended to meet IAF operational requirements. The aircraft will incorporate systems including the indigenous UTTAM AESA radar and electronic warfare-related equipment.
But delivery schedules have already become a major issue for the programme.
In February 2026, HAL said five Mk1A aircraft were ready for delivery and that nine additional aircraft had been built and flown, while engine availability remained a factor. The company said it was working with the IAF to accelerate deliveries and that the future engine supply outlook was positive.
For the IAF, every year of delay matters because aircraft procurement is ultimately about maintaining usable combat capacity—not simply increasing the number of aircraft on paper.
What Does This Mean for HAL?
For HAL, Kapoor's remarks present both an opportunity and a challenge.
The opportunity is obvious: India's fighter modernisation programme represents a substantial long-term order pipeline.
The ₹62,370-crore Mk1A contract alone provides significant visibility for HAL and the domestic aerospace supply chain. The Defence Ministry says around 105 Indian companies are directly involved in manufacturing components for the programme, highlighting the wider economic impact of the Tejas ecosystem.
But the challenge is execution.
Investors should remember that a defence order is not the same thing as immediate revenue or profit. Aircraft programmes involve long development cycles, testing, certification, imported components, engine availability and production ramp-up.
For HAL, the important indicators will therefore include Tejas delivery rates, production capacity, engine availability, Tejas Mk2 milestones and progress on future fighter programmes.
AMCA Could Become the Bigger Strategic Test
Kapoor's criticism also points towards India's next major aviation programme: AMCA.
The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft is intended to give India a domestically developed fifth-generation fighter capability.
If India wants to maintain technological relevance against future Chinese platforms, AMCA could eventually become more strategically important than Tejas Mk2.
But the two programmes should not necessarily be viewed as competitors.
Tejas Mk2 can fill the medium-weight fighter requirement, while AMCA is intended to bring fifth-generation capabilities. Kapoor himself said he wants both Tejas Mk2 and AMCA to come, but at a much faster pace.
He also suggested that India should explore participation in international sixth-generation programmes such as Europe's Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) involving the UK, Italy and Japan.
That reflects a larger strategic debate: should India rely entirely on indigenous development, or combine domestic programmes with international technology partnerships?
What Investors Should Watch Next
For investors following HAL and India's defence sector, several developments deserve close attention:
1. Tejas Mk1A deliveries
The government's 97-aircraft order provides a significant production pipeline. Actual delivery speed will be an important measure of execution.
2. Tejas Mk2 development
The key milestones will be prototype testing, first flight, certification and the transition from development to production.
3. Engine supply
The Defence Ministry said HAL had entered an agreement with GE for 113 F404 engines for the 97-aircraft Mk1A programme, with engine deliveries scheduled from 2027 to 2032.
Engine availability has therefore become an important variable for the broader Tejas programme.
4. AMCA progress
AMCA's development speed will determine how quickly India can move towards a fifth-generation indigenous fighter capability.
5. Production capacity
Even a successful fighter design has limited strategic value if it cannot be produced quickly enough during a national security requirement.
The Bigger Lesson for India’s Defence Industry
Kapoor's comments are ultimately less about declaring Tejas Mk2 a failure and more about the cost of moving slowly in military aviation.
A fighter aircraft can remain useful for decades if continuously upgraded. But the starting technology, upgrade architecture and production timeline still matter enormously.
India therefore faces a difficult balancing act: strengthen the IAF quickly with platforms such as Tejas Mk1A, complete Tejas Mk2 without unnecessary delays, and simultaneously push AMCA and future-generation technologies.
For HAL and the broader Indian defence ecosystem, execution could become just as important as the size of the order book.
Bottom Line
The headline that “Tejas Mk2 is not fit for operations” needs context.
What Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor has actually warned is that Tejas Mk2 could struggle to remain operationally relevant in the mid-2030s if it takes too long to enter service while rival air forces rapidly expand their fifth-generation fleets. He has also said that India still needs aircraft in this class because fifth- and sixth-generation fighters are unlikely to be available in sufficient numbers to cover every requirement.
For India, the key issue is therefore speed: develop faster, test faster and manufacture faster—without compromising quality or combat capability.
For HAL investors, Tejas Mk1A execution, Mk2 development, engine availability and AMCA progress are likely to remain important defence-sector signals.
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This article is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice
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