NEW DELHI, March 4 (Reuters) - An Indian defence

committee has recommended including the private sector in

military aircraft manufacturing to shore up the capabilities of

the Indian Air Force, whose falling squadron strength and

delayed fighter deliveries have irked its chief.

The move, if accepted, would boost India's private defence

firms and reduce the burden on state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics

Ltd, which makes most of India's military aircraft.

The committee, headed by defence ministry's top bureaucrat,

submitted its report to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on

Monday, the government said in a statement late on Monday,

adding that Singh had directed that recommendations "be followed

up in a time bound manner".

The Indian Air Force's fleet of mainly Soviet-origin

aircraft has been operating with only 31 fighter squadrons

compared with a target of 42 amid tense relations with

neighbours China and Pakistan.

India's Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has said that the country

should involve the private sector to speed up defence aerospace

manufacturing. Speaking at an event in New Delhi last week, he

said India must add 35-40 fighters per year to fill existing

gaps and phase out older aircraft.

Indian officials have said that Hindustan Aeronautics could

deliver up to 24 aircraft powered by a General Electric ( GE )

engine in the coming fiscal year, which begins in April.

The company was unable to deliver any of the 83 fighters on

order in the current fiscal year, in part due to the slow

arrival of engines from GE, which has been facing supply chain

issues.