REALITY CHECK

 GE Aerospace had placed the specific production line for India's F404-IN20 into "maintenance mode" (effectively a dormancy period) for about five years. As of early 2026, the situation has shifted from a total halt to a complex and expensive restart.

Basically, India is financing the GE assembly line for an engine that GE stopped producing due to lack of orders. When govt placed a massive follow-on order for 83 (and later 97) more Mk1As, GE had to essentially "restart" a dead supply chain.
I dont need to emphasize on the future threat that this poses in the long term availability of spares and support, that too the most critical part of our domestic frontline combat aircraft....... the engine!!
Without engines the aircraft is just a lump of very expensive metallic shit!
FURTHRMORE
If we dont have atleast two spare engines per aircraft to cover the whole rated life of the aircraft, or very quickly we will have aircraft grounded and being scavenged for spares to keep the rest flying
For a typical 30-year life cycle of a single-engine fighter
1.5 to 2.5 at the minimum and 3 - 4 engines per hull optimal
This scaling is why India’s deal for 99 GE-F404 engines for 83 Tejas Mk1A jets (approx. 1.2 engines per plane) is considered a "starting" order. To cover the 30-year life of those 83 jets, India will likely need to procure another 200+ engines over the next two decades.
ALSO
GE-414 is the engine currently under active production and powers several frontline fighters like Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Boeing EA-18G Growler, Saab JAS 39E/F Gripen (Gripen E) and KAI KF-21 Boramae (South Korea). It has been selected as the engine to power the LCA Mk2 and the AMCA. The TEDBF (Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter) is planned to be powered by two General Electric F414-INS6 engines.
The 414 is a larger engine and does not fit into the existing engine nacelle designed for the 404. Neither LCA Mk1 nor Mk1A are designed for the 414 engine. This means that once Indian orders are exhausted and GE shuts down the 404 production, we cant even switch over to the 414 as a mid life upgrade of the LCA Mk1 and 1A.
FINALLY
There is always the proverbial "Sword of Damocles" of the fickle US sanctions regime hanging over our heads. If that hits, like I already stated before........... Without engines the aircraft is just a lump of very expensive metallic shit!

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