India’s ambitious ₹61,000 crore fighter jet engine development program has chosen Safran of France as its preferred partner, according to the Ministry of Defence. A major step toward attaining self-sufficiency in vital aerospace technology and lessening India’s long-standing reliance on foreign-made military power plants, this historic decision marks a turning point in the nation’s defense manufacturing journey.
After a thorough evaluation by a high-level technical committee and a lengthy consultation process with stakeholders, the Ministry of Defence came to the conclusion that Safran’s bid provided the best conditions for India’s strategic interests. The evaluation procedure examined every important facet of the production of fighter jet engines, contrasting rival bids from Safran of France and Rolls-Royce of the UK in terms of technical specifications, financial ramifications, and strategic fit with India’s defense modernization objectives.
As a major force behind ambitions to create a comprehensive domestic engine manufacturing ecosystem in India, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has played a pivotal role in promoting this indigenous engine development initiative. This strategic partnership, which aims to provide India’s aerospace industry with cutting-edge design and manufacturing skills, has evolved thanks in large part to the minister’s leadership.
The 120-kilonewton (kN) thrust engine that will power India’s future combat platforms—particularly the country’s own Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)—is the focus of the ₹61,000 crore project. India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter program will be able to meet its high performance standards, such as super-cruise capability and improved stealth characteristics, thanks to this next-generation engine, which is a significant technological advancement.
Safran’s winning bid stood out for its dedication to full knowledge transfer, which is a crucial component that supports India’s goal of strategic autonomy in defense manufacture. In order to ensure a smooth integration of the indigenous engine with the aircraft’s overall development timetable, the French company’s development roadmap has been meticulously crafted to align with the AMCA’s anticipated timeline.
The existing fleet of Indian fighter aircraft is powered solely by engines of foreign origin, and the expense of purchasing and maintaining these engines accounts for a sizeable amount of the total cost of fighter jets. According to conservative estimates, India would need well over 250 next-generation engines in the next ten years to keep up with its growing air force needs.
While the development of the domestic engines continues concurrently, the first squadron of AMCA aircraft will initially be powered by GE-414 engines built in the United States. In addition to providing enough time for the full construction and testing of the locally co-developed power plant, this staged strategy guarantees continuity in the AMCA program. The initial 40 units of the AMCA MK-1 variant will be powered by GE-414 engines, which have a thrust of about 98 kN.
Under the Kaveri project, India’s prior attempt at developing its own engines ran into serious technical difficulties and ultimately fell short of meeting the thrust requirements for the deployment of contemporary fighter aircraft. The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) launched the Kaveri engine program in the 1980s, but it encountered several challenges, such as inadequate thrust generation, weight problems, reliability issues, and an inability to meet international fighter aircraft performance standards.
Thrust insufficiency was one of the project’s drawbacks; the engine only produced 81.4 kN, compared to the desired 120 kN requirement. Combustion instability, deteriorated performance at high altitude, and serious reliability problems under harsh operating circumstances were further difficulties. In 2008, the Kaveri project was separated from the Tejas program, despite spending more than ₹2,035 crore over three decades.
Samir V. Kamat, the chairman of the DRDO, did admit that “the mistake we made was to develop an engine (Kaveri) and platform (LCA) together,” highlighting the need for engine development to be an ongoing process apart from platform management. In order to guarantee that the accumulated expertise and investment support India’s larger defense ecosystem, a version of the Kaveri engine is currently being modified for unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
The AMCA, a 25-ton, twin-engine, multi-role stealth aircraft with a top speed of 2,600 kilometers per hour (Mach 2.15), is India’s most ambitious aerospace project. Specialized radar-absorbing materials, infrared signature reduction technology, and internal weapons bays that reduce radar cross-section are only a few of the aircraft’s superior stealth capabilities.
A combat range of 1,620 kilometers, an internal fuel capacity of 6.5 tonnes, and a payload capacity of 6,500 kg—of which 1,500 kg are in internal weapons bays—are among the important specifications. The Uttam AESA radar, BrahMos-NG missiles, Astra air-to-air missiles, and Rudram anti-radiation missiles are among the indigenous equipment that will be installed on the aircraft.
Comprehensive technology transfer covering essential manufacturing processes such as the creation of single-crystal blades, hot-end coatings, laser drilling capabilities, and advanced metallurgy procedures is promised by the partnership with Safran. The AMCA program and upcoming domestic aircraft development projects will both benefit from this technology transfer, which would allow India to establish a comprehensive aerospace manufacturing ecosystem.
Significant prospects for public and private sector involvement in India’s defense manufacturing sector are anticipated as a result of the relationship. The project is in line with India’s larger “Make in India” campaign, which has already shown impressive results, with defense exports rising to ₹23,622 crore in FY 2024-25 and defense manufacturing reaching ₹1.27 lakh crore in FY 2023-24.
In addition to the Safran partnership, India and the US are still negotiating improved technology transfer for the GE-414 INS6 engine, which is meant for the LCA Mk2 version. These talks aim to transfer more than 80 percent of the knowledge, including important technologies like laser drilling capabilities, single-crystal blade manufacturing, and hot-end coatings.
India’s pursuit of engine technology autonomy has reached another important turning point with the possible $1 billion GE-414 technology transfer agreement. With 80 percent of engine value addition taking place in India, this agreement covers the development of local manufacturing capabilities in Bengaluru.
According to the AMCA program, the first prototype will be rolled out by 2026–2027, followed by initial flight testing in 2028–2029 and full operational capabilities by 2035. In order to achieve full strategic autonomy in fighter aircraft propulsion, the indigenous engine development timeline coincides with these milestones, guaranteeing that future AMCA variants will be powered by locally built engines.
With the potential to position India as a significant participant in global aerospace technologies and guarantee long-term security through domestic capabilities, this strategic relationship with France represents a turning point in the development of India’s defense manufacturing industry. The success of this partnership will lay the groundwork for India’s larger goals in sophisticated aerospace technologies, such as the possible creation of sixth-generation fighter aircraft and entry into the civilian aerospace industry.
