# Ex-IAF vice chief questions Tejas Mk-2 relevance in 2030s 2026-08-22T12:58:55+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor (Retd), who stepped down as IAF vice chief two months ago, has said the Tejas Mk-2 fighter jet may be operationally irrelevant by the mid-2030s. In an interview with NDTV, he said fourth-generation aircraft would not be viable when China is already testing sixth-generation prototypes. 'No, operationally, definitely no,' he said when asked about the Mk-2's frontline role. Kapoor criticised Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for repeated delays, saying promised deliveries were denied on 'one pretext or the other'. HAL expects to deliver the first 18-25 Tejas Mk-1A jets by March 2027, years behind schedule. The Times of India notes the delays are partly due to late engine supplies from GE and complex software validation. Kapoor did not rule out a supporting role for the Tejas Mk-2 in gap-filling, given India's large geography. He suggested India join global sixth-generation programmes like Europe's FCAS or the UK-Japan-Italy GCAP instead of pursuing incremental upgrades. The Hindustan Times reports his remarks echo similar concerns voiced by Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh in May 2025. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both Hindustan Times and Times of India report the same interview with Kapoor, giving it straight neutral coverage without editorial slant. The key takeaway is the sharp timeline gap: China may field 500 fifth-generation J-20s by 2030 while India's first Tejas Mk-1A squadron arrives only by 2027. Kapoor's suggestion to join FCAS or GCAP signals growing impatience within the IAF with HAL's delivery pace. The next milestone to watch is whether the defence ministry accelerates the AMCA programme or opens formal talks with European consortiums. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - hindustantimes.com (neutral report) Presents Kapoor's criticism of HAL without adding its own commentary or emphasis - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Reports same facts and quotes, adds context on engine delays without editorialising This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-22T18:14:21+00:00. Tags: Indian Air Force, Nagesh Kapoor, Tejas Mk-2 Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/ex-iaf-vice-chief-questions-tejas-mk-2-relevance-in-2030s/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/ex-iaf-vice-chief-questions-tejas-mk-2-relevance-in-2030s/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/