India’s new-generation Tejas Mark 2 fighter aircraft has reached a critical stage in prototyping, and its first flight is expected by late 2026. Made and designed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the aircraft is considerably more advanced compared to the earlier Tejas Mark 1 in terms of range, payload, avionics, and combat capability in general.
The Tejas Mark 2, or Medium Weight Fighter (MWF), boasts a series of significant enhancements. It will be equipped with the General Electric F414-INS6 engine, which will provide increased thrust and maneuverability (en.wikipedia.org). State-of-the-art avionics systems, including the Uttam AESA radar, will improve situational awareness and multi-target tracking. The airframe has been redesigned for better aerodynamics, with close-coupled canards and extended wings to increase range, payload, and maneuverability. Over 80% of the components are domestic, a figure that is going to rise more than 90% once the production matures.
Prototype deployment by the end of 2025, subsequent flight testing in 2026 under varied operating conditions, i.e., high-altitude and naval environments. HAL aims for initial operational clearance (IOC) in early 2030s, with full operational capability (FOC) to follow in ensuing years.
Strategically, the Tejas Mark 2 will replace aged aircraft in the IAF such as SEPECAT Jaguars, MiG-29s, and Mirage 2000s. It enhances India’s indigenous air power, provides multi-role capability for air superiority, ground attack, and reconnaissance missions, and boosts the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative by promoting advanced aerospace manufacturing domestically.
India plans to produce almost 200 Tejas Mark 2 aircraft en masse in HAL factories. The aircraft will probably equip next-generation weapons systems, including precision-guided munitions and cutting-edge air-to-air missiles, making it a solid part of India’s future air defense posture.