New Delhi promises a maiden flight for the Tejas Mk2 in 2026. India is positioning it against the Gripen E in terms of performance, cost, export potential, and impact.
In summary
The Indian Ministry of Defense confirms that the Tejas Mk2 prototype remains on track for a maiden flight expected later in 2026. This is a decisive step, as the aircraft is being presented as a 4.5 generation fighter capable of competing with the Saab Gripen E in the global market for modern single-engine fighters, where budgets are tight and fleets are aging. The Mk2 aims to be a clear upgrade from the Tejas Mk1A, with a larger airframe, more fuel, a higher payload, and a more powerful engine. The objective is twofold: to meet India’s need to replace several types of aircraft and to build a credible export offering, particularly through industrial transfers. But the competition is fierce. The Gripen E already has operational references and contracts. The Tejas Mk2, on the other hand, still has to prove that it can fly, be produced at a steady rate, and be supported for 30 years. The battle will be fought as much on price as on credibility.
The promise of a finally stabilized schedule
The Tejas Mk2 program has a reputation for schedule slippage. This is the weak point of any export communication. This week’s announcement of a first flight “later in 2026” therefore has a simple objective: to reassure. First, to reassure the Indian Air Force, which is expecting a more capable aircraft than the Tejas Mk1. Second, to reassure manufacturers, because without a flight milestone, there is no credible production trajectory.
On paper, the Mk2 is presented as a medium fighter, designed to replace heterogeneous fleets. The ambition is high: to offer a modern multi-role aircraft that is less expensive to purchase and operate than a Western heavy fighter, but more powerful and durable than a previous-generation “low-cost” aircraft.
The political signal is clear: India wants to be a player in the export market for fighter aircraft, and not just as a buyer.
Positioning an Indian fighter at the heart of the 4.5 generation market
The target segment is air forces that want to modernize without moving into the very high end of the market. In concrete terms, this market is aimed at replacing MiG-21s, MiG-29s, Mirage 2000s, F-5s, F-7/J-7s, and even some older F-16s.
It is a market of compromise. Customers want:
- genuine modern air-to-air capability,
- a credible multi-role aircraft,
- high availability,
- sustainable maintenance,
- reasonable cost of ownership.
This is exactly where Saab has positioned the Gripen for 20 years. India is now looking to establish itself in the same place, with a promise: “same category, cheaper, more flexible for industry.”
The technical choices of the Tejas Mk2 that mark a move upmarket
The Tejas Mk2 is not just a simple tweak. It is a larger, heavier aircraft with a more ambitious operational logic.
The most consistent public data describes a fighter of around 17.5 tons, with a delta-canard architecture. The goal is to increase both payload and range without moving into the twin-engine category.
Engine power as a key factor in credibility
The Mk2 is to be powered by the GE F414 engine, announced to have a thrust of around 98 kN. This is a leap forward compared to the Tejas Mk1’s engine, and is a prerequisite for supporting the increase in weight, fuel, and payload.
But it is also a structural weakness for export. An American engine implies re-export authorizations and constraints. In a commercial campaign, this detail could cause a contract to be lost to a less “political” solution.
Payload and fuel, the lifeblood of versatility
The Mk2 boasts ambitious figures in open sources: up to 6,500 kg of external load and more than 3,400 kg of internal fuel.
This is a major development, as it determines the real interest in multi-role missions.
An export aircraft that lacks endurance requires refueling aircraft, forward bases, and heavy logistics. This is often impossible for small air forces. The increase in fuel capacity is therefore a more important commercial argument than it might seem.
Sensors and expected survivability
India wants to bring the Mk2 up to contemporary standards: data fusion, modernized self-protection suite, and more powerful sensors. Announcements refer to a more “digital” architecture, with a modern cockpit layout.
The critical point will be the radar. In this segment, the marketing benchmark is AESA radar. Saab is promoting its own on the Gripen E. India will have to prove that its sensors offer useful range, robust reliability, and credible resistance to jamming. Without this, the aircraft will remain “promising” but not “decisive.”
Head-to-head comparison with the Gripen E: the real match is being played elsewhere than on speed
Comparing the Mk2 and Gripen E solely on speed or agility misses the point. The 4.5 generation market is won on three very concrete criteria: schedule, total cost, and support network.
The maturity of the Gripen E as an immediate advantage
The Gripen E is not a prototype. It exists, it flies, and it is already in production. Saab can provide feedback, avionics standards, and, above all, a long-term support plan.
Sweden and Brazil are major users. Recent export successes confirm the commercial momentum: contracts, offsets, planned deliveries. For a buyer, this is reassuring.
The promise of the Mk2: cheaper, more “industrializable”
India presents the Mk2 as a more accessible option. This argument is aimed at countries that want to:
- produce locally,
- obtain industrial transfers,
- avoid total dependence on the supplier,
- control part of the maintenance.
This is also an area where Saab is good, but where India can go further. New Delhi can offer broader offsets and a different political flexibility, especially towards countries in the Global South.
The trap: selling an aircraft that has not yet proven itself in series production
The blunt question is simple: “How many aircraft can be delivered per year, with what levels of availability?” Until the Mk2 has flown and undergone structured testing, the answer remains theoretical.
And in an export tender, theory often loses out to a product already in service.
India’s sales strategy against Saab: a more political than technological approach
Saab sells the Gripen as a complete system: aircraft, network, dispersion, support, training, and weapons. It’s a “package.” India, on the other hand, can sell a different vision: sovereignty, co-development, and cost reduction.
Industrial transfers as the main currency
The Mk2 can become attractive if India agrees to share. Share heavy maintenance, share parts, share ramp-up. This is a classic strategy for breaking down export barriers.
In markets where the purchase of a fighter jet is also a national industrial plan, this card is a powerful one.
The discourse on total cost and operating cost
In reality, a fighter jet is judged over a 30-year period. The operating cost is as important as the purchase price. Saab has been hammering home this argument for a long time. India is now trying to take it up, but it will have to provide credible figures based on actual flight data, not projections.
“Non-alignment” as an implicit argument
Some air forces want to diversify their suppliers. Not necessarily against the United States or Europe, but so as not to be dependent on a single country. India can position itself as a politically “less restrictive” supplier.
However, it should be noted that with an American engine, the Mk2 is not completely free. This is a point that buyers will analyze closely.
Potential export markets: where India can be heard
We must remain realistic. The Mk2 does not yet have any export references. But it is logically targeting countries that are looking for a modern single-engine aircraft without an overly high entry price.
The markets that come up most often in the open scenarios are:
- Latin American air forces replacing old fleets,
- African countries that want to move away from very old Soviet or Chinese equipment,
- certain Southeast Asian states with a need for air policing and interception.
Indian analyses mention countries such as Argentina, Egypt, and Nigeria as potential Tejas customers, although this is more a matter of potential than reality at present.
The Mk2 will also have to avoid very aggressive competition: the JF-17 and other “budget” offers that promise quick results, even if they are expensive in the long term.
The impact for Saab: a real risk, but mainly in the medium term
To say that the Tejas Mk2 “kills the Gripen E” is an exaggeration. However, it may complicate certain tenders.
Pressure on prices and offsets
Even without a contract, the existence of a credible competitor is pushing Saab to improve its offers. More offsets, more local content, more flexibility. It’s mechanical.
A battle over countries that want to produce locally
If India comes up with a broader industrial proposal, Saab will have to arbitrate: how far to go without losing its margin or technological control.
A shrinking global market
The real problem for Saab is not just India. It is the fragmentation of the market: F-35 for some allies, Rafale/Typhoon for others, and cheaper solutions for the rest. In this landscape, the Gripen E remains strong, but it must continue to prove its value.
Realistic expectations for the Tejas Mk2
The most rational expectation is a first flight in 2026, followed by a long testing phase. During this phase, the program will have to demonstrate:
- a stable schedule,
- industrialization capacity,
- quality support,
- consistent weapons integration.
The Mk2 can become a real competitor, but it will not win on slogans alone. It will win if it demonstrates one simple thing: that it is deliverable, maintainable, and sustainable.
The window of opportunity opening for India… and the step to take
The Tejas Mk2 is a serious attempt to change the game. India wants to move from being a national designer to an export player. Its positioning against the Gripen E is logical: same segment, same modern single-engine philosophy, same promise of versatility.
But the fighter market does not forgive delays and vague promises. Customers buy what flies, what can be maintained, and what can be financed over three decades. If the Mk2 meets its milestones in 2026, it will become a credible option. If it slips again, Saab will have a comfortable lead, and India will remain confined to the role of hopeful, not rival.
Sources
Ministry of Defense (India), public communications and statements relayed in January 2026
Indian Masterminds, “Tejas Mk-2 First Flight by June 2026,” January 6, 2026
Economic Times (India), “Tejas Mk2 simulator provides first details,” August 19, 2025
HAL Tejas Mk2 (Medium Weight Fighter), public fact sheets and milestones (January 2026)
Saab, official press releases Gripen E/F (Thailand, Colombia), 2025
Reuters, “Saab signs €3.1bn Gripen deal with Colombia”, November 14, 2025
Reuters, “Sweden agrees to sell four Gripen jets to Thailand”, August 25, 2025
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