Indian Claims About Tejas Mk-II Against J-10C, The Ground Reality

By Major (R) Haroon Rasheed Defense & Strategic Analyst specializing in South Asian military dynamics, deterrence strategy, and defense modernization; Member, Research & Evaluation Cell for Advancing Basic Amenities and Development.

There is nothing wrong with India believing in its own aerospace industry. Every country wants to build better fighters, and India is no exception.

The Tejas Mk-II is certainly an ambitious program. If India manages to develop it successfully, integrate modern weapons and sensors, and produce it in large numbers, it could become a capable fighter.

But some of the claims being made in India that Tejas Mk-II will be superior to Pakistan’s J-10C need to be looked at realistically.

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Because there is one very basic question.

How can we declare one aircraft superior to another when one is already flying, operational, and being used by an air force, while the other is still waiting for its first flight?

J-10C is Already a Reality

The J-10C is not a concept on a drawing board.

It is an operational fighter.

Pakistan has already inducted the J-10C into the Pakistan Air Force and integrated it into its modern combat structure. The aircraft operates with modern sensors, electronic warfare capabilities, datalinks, and advanced air-to-air weapons.

Most importantly, Pakistan has gained experience operating the aircraft.

That experience matters.

A fighter becomes much more than its advertised specifications once it enters squadron service. Pilots learn their strengths and weaknesses.

Engineers learn how to maintain it. Weapons are integrated and tested. Tactics are developed.

None of this can be achieved merely by designing a better-looking aircraft.

Tejas Mk-II is Still a Future Fighter

Tejas Mk-II is potentially a very capable aircraft, but we must separate potential from reality.

If the program remains on its currently discussed timeline, the aircraft’s first flight could come toward the end of 2027.

But the first flight does not mean an operational fighter.

After the first flight comes a long process of testing and certification.

The aircraft has to prove its flight characteristics, radar, electronic warfare systems, weapons, structural strength, reliability, and overall performance.

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Then, it has to enter production.

Then pilots have to be trained.

Then, squadrons have to become operational.

Only after all this can we properly judge its combat capability.

So comparing an operational J-10C with a Tejas Mk-II that has not yet flown is, at this stage, largely a comparison between present capability and future expectations.

Engine Power is Only One Part of the Story

There is another argument frequently used in these comparisons: engine thrust.

The J-10C’s engine provides roughly 125–140 kN of thrust depending on the engine configuration being discussed, while the GE F414 intended for Tejas Mk-II is around the 98-kN class.

But I would caution against making the engine-thrust figure the entire argument.

A fighter’s performance does not depend on engine thrust alone.

Aircraft weight, aerodynamics, fuel load, weapons load, drag, altitude, and the aircraft’s power and cooling systems all matter.

So simply saying, “My engine has more thrust, therefore my fighter is better,” is not serious aviation analysis.

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At the same time, the engine remains extremely important because it determines how much energy the aircraft can generate for acceleration, climb, and maneuvering.

That is one area where the J-10C already has an operational record, while the final performance of Tejas Mk-II remains something to be demonstrated.

The Real Strength of J-10C is Not Just its Engine

The J-10C should not be judged simply by looking at its engine.

Its real value is the complete package.

It combines the airframe with modern radar, electronic warfare, datalink, and weapons.

The PL-15 long-range air-to-air missile is particularly important.

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The PL-15 gives the J-10C a modern beyond-visual-range capability and forms an important part of China’s contemporary air-combat architecture.

This is where the discussion becomes much more interesting.

Modern air warfare is no longer simply:

Aircraft versus aircraft.

It is:

Radar + missile + electronic warfare + datalink + AEW&C + pilot training + command and control + information superiority.

The aircraft that performs best as part of this entire network will have the real advantage.

What will Tejas Mk-II Carry?

This is where we should also be fair to India.

Tejas Mk-II has been planned with a modern weapons and sensor package.

Indian sources have discussed the integration of weapons such as Astra, Meteor, ASRAAM, Rudram, and potentially BrahMos-NG.

If India successfully integrates these systems, Tejas Mk-II could become a serious multirole fighter.

But there is an important difference between saying: “The aircraft is designed to carry these weapons.”

and saying: “The aircraft has already demonstrated these weapons in operational service.”

The first describes future capability.

The second describes proven capability.

That distinction is often ignored in social-media debates.

The Biggest Advantage J-10C has Today

For me, the biggest advantage of J-10C over Tejas Mk-II today is not simply its engine.

It is maturity.

The J-10 family has been developed through several generations.

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The aircraft has already gone through the problems that every new fighter program encounters.

The engineers have learned.
The pilots have learned.
The maintenance crews have learned.
The weapons have been integrated.

The aircraft is already part of an operational force.

Tejas Mk-II will have to go through this entire process.

And that is completely normal.

Every new fighter has to prove itself.

But We Should Not Write Off Tejas Mk-II

At the same time, I would not make the mistake of saying that Tejas Mk-II will necessarily be inferior.

That would be equally premature.

India has learned a great deal from the Tejas program.

Mk-II is substantially larger and more ambitious than the original Tejas.

It is intended to have modern AESA radar, electronic warfare systems, IRST, increased weapons carriage, and a more powerful engine than the original Tejas.

If India successfully solves its development and production challenges, Tejas Mk-II could become an important fighter in the Indian Air Force.

The question is not whether India can build a good fighter.

The question is when, in what numbers, and with what level of reliability and operational effectiveness.

Numbers Also Matter

There is another reality that is often forgotten.

A superb fighter that exists in very small numbers cannot by itself transform an air force.

Production rate matters.
Spare parts matter.
Maintenance matters.
Pilot training matters.
Weapons’ stocks matter.
Availability matters.

A country may have an excellent aircraft on paper, but if it can not produce enough of them, maintain them, and keep them flying, the advantage becomes limited.

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This is why the future Tejas Mk-II program should ultimately be judged not only by the aircraft’s specifications but also by India’s ability to produce it efficiently and maintain high availability.

My Assessment

At this moment, I would put the situation very simply.

J-10C is a known quantity.
Tejas Mk-II is an unknown quantity with considerable potential.

The J-10C has already entered operational service and has an established weapons and support ecosystem.

Tejas Mk-II has yet to fly and must still prove its actual performance.

File image of a J-10C Pakistan Air Force fighter jet. Indonesian J-10C plan tests an “independent and active” strategy; mixed fleets, interoperability, and how to make every system talk. (Image via the Pakistan Air Force.).

Therefore, declaring today that Tejas Mk-II is already superior to J-10C is not a technical conclusion.

It is an expectation.

And expectations are not the same as military capability.