Former Indian Air Marshal and Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force Nakesh Kapoor has questioned whether the Tejas Mk-2 will remain effective as a frontline fighter when large numbers are expected to enter service around the middle of 2030. In an NDTV interview less than two months after retirement, he said its battlefield relevance could be greatly diminished by then.

Kapoor cited China’s move toward sixth-generation aircraft and Pakistan’s plans to acquire fifth-generation fighters. He questioned the logic of confronting China’s sixth-generation aircraft in 2035 with a fourth-generation platform. The report says fifth-generation fighters such as the US F-22 and China’s J-20 feature stealth, sensor fusion and internal weapons carriage, while India currently has no fifth- or sixth-generation platform.

Kapoor nevertheless said Tejas Mk-2 aircraft would be needed to fill deployment gaps because limited numbers of advanced fighters could not be stationed everywhere across India. He also criticized Hindustan Aeronautics Limited over delays in Tejas Mk-1A deliveries. The Mk-2’s first flight is now expected between March and July 2027, while Kapoor urged consideration of participation in sixth-generation projects such as FCAS or GCAP.