In a major boost to India’s quest for self-reliance in defence technology, French aerospace major Safran S.A. and India’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) — a DRDO laboratory — are set to jointly develop the country’s first fully indigenous fighter jet engine.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the project will involve 100% technology transfer, including the critical single-crystal blade technology, which enables jet engines to withstand extreme heat and stress. The intellectual property rights (IPR) for the engine will rest with India.
Key Details of the Project
-
Engine Capacity: Initial thrust of 120 kiloNewtons (kN), with a plan to upgrade to 140 kN by the end of the development phase.
-
Timeline: Development of nine prototypes over a 12-year period.
-
Aircraft Powered: The engine will power the twin-engine Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) being developed indigenously by Indian industry players including Tata Group, L&T, and Adani Defence.
-
Navy Variant: The Indian Navy’s Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) will also use the engine.
Strategic Significance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for indigenous development of jet engines during his Independence Day speech, terming it an “apex defence technology with significant civilian spin-offs.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has also indicated that India is ready to take on the critical task of developing its own fighter jet engines.
Officials say this partnership with Safran is strategically important as France has been a reliable partner, having refrained from sanctioning India after the 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests and continuing to provide Mirage 2000 spares and INGPS navigation systems.
Reducing Dependence on Foreign Suppliers
Currently, India imports fighter jet engines, including GE F-404 and F-414 engines from the US, with only partial technology transfer (around 70%). Developing a fully indigenous engine will end dependence on foreign suppliers and shield India from strategic disruptions.
Why It Matters
Only a handful of nations — the US, Russia, UK, and France — have the capability to design and develop combat jet engines. Even China relies on Russian engines or reverse-engineered versions for its frontline fighters.
With this project, India aims to achieve true self-reliance in a critical technology domain, ensuring that the Indian Air Force and Navy are no longer dependent on foreign countries for power projection capabilities.
