New Delhi: A major quality control controversy has emerged in the supply chain of India’s Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircraft programme after Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) accused a Hyderabad-based supplier of submitting forged test reports for aircraft components.
According to the complaint filed by HAL, TEC Aero Devices had received multiple purchase orders beginning in March 2022 for the manufacture and supply of parts used in the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A programme. Following technical scrutiny, the company was approved to produce 35 categories of components covering 172 individual items.
Under procurement rules, suppliers are required to provide original quality certification reports when delivering components. TEC Aero Devices subsequently submitted 199 test reports covering critical quality parameters such as tensile strength, hardness, break load, shear testing, non destructive testing, microstructure analysis and salt spray evaluation.
Concerns emerged when HAL’s Quality Control Department initiated a verification exercise and sought confirmation from Axis Inspection Solutions, whose name appeared on the submitted documents. An audit conducted by HAL reportedly found that none of the 199 reports had been issued by the testing agency.
The investigation revealed that all reports submitted between February and September 2023 were allegedly fabricated. Axis Inspection Solutions informed HAL that its name and signatures had been used without authorization and that the documents were not genuine.
Following the findings, HAL initiated disciplinary action against the supplier. The company was removed from HAL’s approved vendor list and barred from conducting business with the defence manufacturer for three years, until March 2027. HAL also clarified that no payments had been released in connection with the disputed supplies.
After completing internal audits, reviews and administrative proceedings, HAL decided to pursue criminal action and lodged a formal FIR against TEC Aero Devices. The defence manufacturer stated that the time taken to complete investigations and internal procedures led to the delay in filing the complaint.
Police have registered the case and launched an investigation into the alleged submission of forged quality certification documents linked to the Tejas Mk-1A fighter jet programme.
