The Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet of Tejas jets, grounded after an accident in February, is set to return to flight next week.Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director DK Sunil said on Thursday that the ‘local modification committee’ set up after the February incident, okayed the correction needed for the software for the plane and it would be back flying next week.Sunil added that the fleet of 34 jets underwent technology checks. The issue was a software glitch in the brake system on one of the jets, which was reviewed and cleared by a joint committee comprising IAF, HAL, and CEMILAC.Addressing pending deliveries of Tejas Mark 1A jets, the HAL Chairman said 20 jets are ready, with final tests of radar software and missile-firing systems underway.He said that the HAL is awaiting engines from US plane maker General Electric, with only five delivered so far. A project review scheduled in May will clear the jets for deliveries. The IAF has ordered 180 Tejas Mark 1A jets, though deliveries are currently two years behind schedule.Meanwhile, the grounded Tejas fleet underwent exhaustive checks, which revealed that the February 7 accident was caused by a glitch in the jet’s onboard computer software.The software has since been corrected, and an upgraded version was successfully tested on the aircraft, according to sources. The software upgrade was carried out jointly by the IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).The IAF had ordered ‘exhaustive checks’ following the mishap, in which a Tejas jet veered off the runway into a mud-ditch while taking off from a forward base along the western front. The pilot of the single-seat aircraft survived, but sustained injuries. The IAF is also conducting a Court of Inquiry into the incident.The subsequent exhaustive checks included a review of the metallurgy of the undercarriage, the electro-magnetic braking system, and the onboard software.The February incident was the third accident involving Tejas jets since their induction in 2016. The first crash occurred near Jaisalmer in March 2024, when the aircraft crashed while returning from a firepower demonstration. The pilot ejected safely.The second accident happened in November 2025 during an aerobatic display at the Dubai Airshow, resulting in the death of Wing Commander Namansh Syal.