Before Tejas, there was Marut: India’s first supersonic fighter jet and the lessons it offers
TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 19, 2026, 12:58 (IST)
India's ambitious Marut supersonic fighter, designed by Kurt Tank, faced early setbacks due to underfunded engines, limiting its performance. Despite this, it proved effective in the 1971 war, destroying enemy tanks. Bureaucratic indecision ultimately doomed upgrades, mirroring current challenges with the Tejas program's engine development and integration, highlighting a recurring theme in India's aviation history.