By Abhijith Ganapavaram

BENGALURU, Feb 10 (Reuters) - India expects stable

delivery of a domestically-made light combat aircraft powered by

a GE engine in the upcoming fiscal year after a delay of

nearly 12 months, a top government official said on Sunday.

India's state-run planemaker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL)

would have the capacity to hand over 16 to 24 aircraft

in the fiscal year that starts in April following stable

delivery of the engine made by the aerospace division of GE, the

official said.

The delivery of engines for the fighter jet named "Tejas"

was due to begin in March 2024, but Indian defence ministry

sources said supply chain constraints faced by GE impacted new

deliveries beyond the 65 engines already delivered as of 2023.

The Indian Air Force is desperate to shore up its fighter

squadrons, which have fallen to 31 from a target of 42, at a

time when rival China is expanding its own air force.

"The good news is that now the production line has

stabilised. Not only in HAL, but also at the engine maker GE,"

India's Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar told

reporters in the southern city of Bengaluru on the eve of the

biennial Aero India aerospace exhibition, which begins on

Monday.

"We are working with our American partner GE ... so that

their supply also gets streamlined in this year 2025-26 and

onwards. So that makes us believe that we would be able to meet

the pace that is required," Kumar added.