Tue Jul 15 17:16:42 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:
**Headline: Second U.S.-Made GE Engine Arrives for Indian LCA Mark 1A Fighter Jet Program**
**New Delhi, July 16, 2025:** India has received its second GE-F404 engine from the United States for integration into the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark 1A fighter jet program. A senior Defence official confirmed that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) took delivery of the engine on Monday, July 15, 2025. Twelve more engines are expected to arrive by the end of the current fiscal year.
The engines will be fitted on the LCA Mark 1A fighter jets. The delivery of these engines faced delays of over a year, attributed to supply chain disruptions experienced by the American manufacturer, GE Aerospace.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has currently placed orders for 83 LCA Mark 1A aircraft. A proposal to procure an additional 97 aircraft is in an advanced stage, pending final clearance from the Defence Ministry. HAL received the first GE-F404 engine in March 2025. The integration of these engines is a crucial step in HAL’s plan to deliver more than 10 aircraft to the IAF in the near future.
In August 2021, HAL placed an order worth ₹5,375 crore with GE Aerospace for 99 F404 engines to power the indigenously developed Tejas Mk-1A. This development is part of a broader effort to bolster India’s domestic defense capabilities.
Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke with U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth over the phone to discuss ongoing and planned initiatives to strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries. The arrival of the second GE-F404 engine underscores the continued collaboration between India and the United States in the defense sector.
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