If given a choice, IAF would happily Walk Away from Tejas - Angad Singh - Defence Writer

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Faani83

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In episode 53 of NDTV's Ctrl Alt Defence podcast, defense analyst and writer Angad Singh discussed the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program:


IAF’s Willingness to Walk Away: Angad stated that in a purely operational context (if isolated from political, bureaucratic, or manufacturing considerations), the Indian Air Force would happily walk away from the LCA program today if it had the choice .He remarked that if it were his decision, he would "go to sleep tonight and sleep the soundest sleep of my life" .


Why the IAF Stays Committed: He explained that the IAF cannot simply walk away because the program isn't just about solving an immediate operational gap—it is a long-term technological and industrial initiative. The Air Force continues to back it because they recognize that long-term indigenous fighter development depends on sustaining this core capability.


Underlying Program Issues: Angad highlighted that the program suffers from serious program management failures, overpromising, and a lack of accountability.
 
Source:
https://youtu.be/x9hvPY2Xre4
Faani83 said:
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In episode 53 of NDTV's Ctrl Alt Defence podcast, defense analyst and writer Angad Singh discussed the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program:


IAF’s Willingness to Walk Away: Angad stated that in a purely operational context (if isolated from political, bureaucratic, or manufacturing considerations), the Indian Air Force would happily walk away from the LCA program today if it had the choice .He remarked that if it were his decision, he would "go to sleep tonight and sleep the soundest sleep of my life" .


Why the IAF Stays Committed: He explained that the IAF cannot simply walk away because the program isn't just about solving an immediate operational gap—it is a long-term technological and industrial initiative. The Air Force continues to back it because they recognize that long-term indigenous fighter development depends on sustaining this core capability.


Underlying Program Issues: Angad highlighted that the program suffers from serious program management failures, overpromising, and a lack of accountability.
Click to expand...

At 11.18 and 11.46
 
Faani83 said:
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In episode 53 of NDTV's Ctrl Alt Defence podcast, defense analyst and writer Angad Singh discussed the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas program:


IAF’s Willingness to Walk Away: Angad stated that in a purely operational context (if isolated from political, bureaucratic, or manufacturing considerations), the Indian Air Force would happily walk away from the LCA program today if it had the choice .He remarked that if it were his decision, he would "go to sleep tonight and sleep the soundest sleep of my life" .


Why the IAF Stays Committed: He explained that the IAF cannot simply walk away because the program isn't just about solving an immediate operational gap—it is a long-term technological and industrial initiative. The Air Force continues to back it because they recognize that long-term indigenous fighter development depends on sustaining this core capability.


Underlying Program Issues: Angad highlighted that the program suffers from serious program management failures, overpromising, and a lack of accountability.
Click to expand...


100% agree with the perspective. Tejas program is like pushing a rock up the mountain, you have to keep pushing up (for what seems forever) till you reach the top else it doesn't matter how far you pushed.

In current operational context, Tejas doesn't fit in. But I do hope that Tejas will be the same story as growing bamboo (trees grow tall at year 10 and first 9 years is just watering the plant)... India has had experience with it - be it the frigates, destroyers, ISRO, Ballistic program, nuclear program - I am sure we'll figure a way out
 
Tejas is a light aircraft, but the Indian government has positioned it as a multi-purpose mainstay fighter jet.
 
Faani83 said:
Angad Singh -Also Not Confident about AMCA 24.50
Click to expand...
Lack of Confidence: When asked directly if he was confident about AMCA, he bluntly responded "Nope", stating that he has seen nothing to demonstrate that lessons have been learned or implemented from the delays and issues surrounding the LCA (Tejas) program 00-56.
 
I called this 2 years ago. The programme is dead. Just unsure now what happens to the 180 aircraft "order". Realistically this will never materialise, but is the IAF still planning on replacing older aircraft with Tejas? If os they are so f**ked.....
 
Yasser76 said:
I called this 2 years ago. The programme is dead. Just unsure now what happens to the 180 aircraft "order". Realistically this will never materialise, but is the IAF still planning on replacing older aircraft with Tejas? If os they are so f**ked.....
Click to expand...
Those that have received backhanders to prop this non starter are too deep into this. The figures are astronomical and indians with their heads screws on know this.
Dead in the water
 
Musings said:
Those that have received backhanders to prop this non starter are too deep into this. The figures are astronomical and indians with their heads screws on know this.
Dead in the water
Click to expand...

They have a massive problem now. No Tejas and even if they order Rafales the rest of the fleet is approaching obsolesence.

120 Jaguars from 70s/80s
100 odd Mirage2k/MIG-29s from 80s
250 SU-30MKIs from 90s/2000s

470 planes will soon need retiring in next 10 years or deep upgrades, only 114 Rafales on order or potentially on order. Tejas was supposed to suplement this number but will not now.

The maths is simply not adding up. If India is lucky, big if, it may well just have 140 odd planes (current Rafale fleet plus new orders) it can call modern in 10 years.

Also remember, SU-30s and Rafales in their current form have been downed by Pakistan, that is a technical and psychological edge they will also need to desteratley fix
 
Which why these import bahadurs should have Tejas shoved down their throat. IN and ICG had no problem with indigenisation of their platform programs and has the order book full for our shipyards. Building SSBNs to Frigates, hovercrafts. While IAF babus are busy looking for phoren. No support to local industries while allowing subpar imports. IA too, although much less than IN, have better indigenisation than IAF.
 
samsite84 said:
100% agree with the perspective. Tejas program is like pushing a rock up the mountain, you have to keep pushing up (for what seems forever) till you reach the top else it doesn't matter how far you pushed.

In current operational context, Tejas doesn't fit in. But I do hope that Tejas will be the same story as growing bamboo (trees grow tall at year 10 and first 9 years is just watering the plant)... India has had experience with it - be it the frigates, destroyers, ISRO, Ballistic program, nuclear program - I am sure we'll figure a way out
Click to expand...


Arguably the biggest threat on the horizon is nonlinear growth of technology, that is to say the growth of others (china) whilst India moves slowly along a linear trajectory.

The other aspect is what is India's natural ceiling on what it can deliver and achieve without help, might be close to it already


Faani83 said:
Lack of Confidence: When asked directly if he was confident about AMCA, he bluntly responded "Nope", stating that he has seen nothing to demonstrate that lessons have been learned or implemented from the delays and issues surrounding the LCA (Tejas) program 00-56.
Click to expand...
Why would you
 
Yasser76 said:
They have a massive problem now. No Tejas and even if they order Rafales the rest of the fleet is approaching obsolesence.

120 Jaguars from 70s/80s
100 odd Mirage2k/MIG-29s from 80s
250 SU-30MKIs from 90s/2000s

470 planes will soon need retiring in next 10 years or deep upgrades, only 114 Rafales on order or potentially on order. Tejas was supposed to suplement this number but will not now.

The maths is simply not adding up. If India is lucky, big if, it may well just have 140 odd planes (current Rafale fleet plus new orders) it can call modern in 10 years.

Also remember, SU-30s and Rafales in their current form have been downed by Pakistan, that is a technical and psychological edge they will also need to desteratley fix
Click to expand...
There is also an issue with basic expectations on capability and intelligence in the overall ecosystem

this underlying assumption that it's all down to bureaucratic mess.


It could also be capability, modern systems demand a higher floor in your basic human capital.

The scenario you describe above seems to be potentially the worst because everything is spread so thinly
 
r3alist said:
Arguably the biggest threat on the horizon is nonlinear growth of technology, that is to say the growth of others (china) whilst India moves slowly along a linear trajectory.

The other aspect is what is India's natural ceiling on what it can deliver and achieve without help, might be close to it already



Why would you
Click to expand...

Yup, right now with two 6th Gen planes flying, can India even realistically match that level of tech in next 20 years? No. By then God only knows what China will have developed.

IAF missed a big trick here. They could have got the F-16 production line cheap off Lockheed who were willing to set up all global F-16 production in India and they could have got Rafale line 20 years ago.
If they had done that HAL would now be churning out 1 Sqd of Rafales and 1 Sqd of F-16Vs every year, IAF would be a very modern air force with compatibility with SE Asian and Gulf Air Forces. Back in the 70s and 80s they had two lines going for Jaguar and MIG-21 and churning them out like hot cakes, PAF at one point (pre F-16) was stuck with F-6s and Mirgae IIIs. How times have changed.

Not only now have the MIG-21s been retired and not replaced, but SU-30 is suffering from servicability issues and soon block obsolesence. Rafale order alone will simply not cut it. I see IAF going down to 22-23 Sqds in 5-10 years
 
r3alist said:
There is also an issue with basic expectations on capability and intelligence in the overall ecosystem

this underlying assumption that it's all down to bureaucratic mess.


It could also be capability, modern systems demand a higher floor in your basic human capital.

The scenario you describe above seems to be potentially the worst because everything is spread so thinly
Click to expand...

Yeah, good point, not even taken into account the wear and tear on plan es patrolling China border
 
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