India could face a growing fighter-technology gap if delays continue in indigenous combat aircraft programmes, former Indian Air Force Vice Chief Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor has warned. He questioned whether the Tejas Mk-2 would remain operationally relevant if it enters service in significant numbers during the 2030s, at a time when major military powers are advancing towards fifth- and sixth-generation combat aircraft.

Speaking on an podcast, Kapoor said that deploying a fourth-generation fighter around 2035 could create an operational challenge as China progresses towards next-generation platforms and Pakistan explores fifth-generation capabilities. He gave a direct assessment when asked whether such a timeline made sense from an operational perspective, saying it would not.

Kapoor, however, did not argue that India should abandon fourth-generation fighters altogether. He noted that India's geographical size means a relatively small fleet of highly advanced aircraft would not be sufficient for every operational requirement. Fighters such as the Tejas Mk-2 could therefore continue to perform important missions, particularly in areas where fifth- or sixth-generation aircraft are not available.

The concern, according to Kapoor, is whether India can afford to spend years developing platforms that risk becoming technologically outdated by the time they are available in substantial numbers.

Tejas Mk-1A Delays Raise Concern

Kapoor also criticised the pace of the Tejas Mk-1A programme and questioned whether Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is moving with sufficient urgency to meet the IAF's requirements.

The Indian Air Force ordered 83 Tejas Mk-1A fighters in 2021 in a deal valued at around Rs 46,000 crore. The programme has faced delays, including issues related to the supply of GE F404 engines and the integration of radar, avionics and weapons.

A further order for 97 Mk-1A aircraft was announced in September 2025 for around Rs 62,370 crore, increasing the importance of timely production and delivery.

Kapoor described the continued lack of substantial availability of the Mk-1A as a major concern and questioned why the IAF should continue waiting for aircraft that were promised with specific capabilities.

He stressed that indigenous development remains essential for India's long-term defence requirements but argued that delays cannot continue indefinitely when the force has immediate operational needs.

Mk-2 Timeline Continues to Slip

The former Vice Chief's concerns also extend to the more advanced Tejas Mk-2. The programme has already moved beyond earlier timelines, with the aircraft's first flight now targeted for between March and July 2027.

The Mk-2 is intended to provide the IAF with a more capable indigenous fighter than the existing Tejas variants. However, every delay pushes back testing, certification, production and eventual induction.

For the IAF, this creates an additional planning challenge as it seeks to maintain fighter numbers while simultaneously transitioning towards more advanced platforms.

India Faces Next-Generation Challenge

Fifth-generation aircraft such as China's J-20 and the US F-22 incorporate technologies including stealth, advanced sensors and internal weapons carriage. Sixth-generation programmes are expected to go further, with greater integration of artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, unmanned aircraft and network-centric warfare.

India currently does not operate a fifth- or sixth-generation fighter.

Kapoor suggested that New Delhi should examine whether it is necessary to develop every generation of fighter independently. He pointed to international sixth-generation programmes such as the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) involving France, Germany and Spain, and the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) involving the UK, Italy and Japan.

AMCA Remains India's Indigenous Option

India is also developing the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), its planned indigenous stealth fighter. The programme is expected to take several years of development and testing before the aircraft can enter operational service.

Kapoor's comments highlight the difficult balance facing India's fighter modernisation strategy: maintaining adequate numbers in the near term while investing in indigenous technologies for the future.

For the IAF, the challenge is not only to develop advanced aircraft but also to ensure that they arrive quickly enough to remain relevant against rapidly changing military technology. The former Vice Chief's warning puts renewed focus on production timelines, indigenous defence manufacturing and India's strategy for moving from fourth-generation platforms towards the next era of air combat.