Власти Индии отказались раскрыть данные о задержках и проблемах производства истребителя Tejas

A recent Right to Information (RTI) response concerning the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1 Tejas programme has declined to provide information on several key issues involving production capacity, weapons integration, radar development and delays affecting the aircraft’s powerplant supply. The RTI application, whose response was shared by a Reddit user, sought information on the maximum number of flight-capable LCA Mk1 Tejas aircraft that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) could deliver at peak production capacity. The applicant also asked about the projected timeline for integrating the indigenous Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar onto the Tejas Mk1. However, the response did not provide the requested timelines or production figures. Instead, the authority stated that questions seeking clarification or asking “How, What, Which, Why, When” are not covered under Section 2(f) of the RTI Act, 2005. It further stated that the information sought was exempt from disclosure under Section 8(1)(a) of the Act. The RTI application also sought projected timelines for integrating Astra Mk1 and Astra Mk2 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles onto the LCA Mk1 Tejas. These questions were similarly not answered, leaving the current official timeline for these integrations unclear from the response. Another question sought clarification on the nature of the delays affecting the programme, specifically whether persistent software issues, hardware problems, or a combination of both were responsible. The authority again declined to provide an answer. The application also sought details of penalties imposed by HAL on General Electric for delayed deliveries of GE F404-IN20 engines used by the Tejas Mk1A programme. No information regarding any financial penalties or contractual provisions was disclosed. The response is significant because the questions cover some of the most closely watched aspects of the Tejas programme. Production rates, engine availability, radar integration and weapons qualification directly influence the pace at which additional aircraft can be inducted into the Indian Air Force. The lack of disclosure, however, does not itself establish that software or hardware problems are responsible for current delays, nor does it confirm whether HAL has imposed financial penalties on GE. The RTI response simply provides no substantive answer to those questions. The reference to Section 8(1)(a), which concerns information whose disclosure could prejudicially affect matters including the security, strategic interests and scientific or economic interests of the state, also means that the absence of information should not be interpreted as confirmation of any particular technical or contractual issue.