Within the next three months, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and General Electric (GE) Aerospace are expected to wrap up talks about the local manufacturing of GE’s F414 jet engines in India.
This advancement marks a significant turning point in India’s attempts to improve its defence production capacities and increase its level of aeronautical technical independence.
The F414-INS6 engine, which will power India’s domestic TEJAS MK-2 fighter aircraft—a medium-weight, next-generation combat aircraft with improved payload and performance—is the main focus of the agreement.
The nearly two-year-long talks are finally nearing their conclusion, with commercial agreements about to be concluded. Following a public announcement during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the US in June 2023, the collaboration went on to obtain legal and political certifications, including US Congress approval in 2023.
About 80% of the crucial manufacturing and technological know-how associated with the F414 engine will be transferred from GE to HAL as part of the framework; this is a significant increase from the 58% technology transfer that was considered in previous negotiations around 2012.
Key capabilities that are critical to engine performance and long-term maintenance are included in this knowledge transfer, including blisk machining, machining of single-crystal turbine blades, manufacture of nozzle guiding vanes, and specific thermal and corrosion-resistant coatings.
The agreements also include the construction of a new production plant close to Bangalore, where HAL will produce the F414 engines domestically. Production is anticipated to start within two years of the agreement being signed, and the contract is valued at approximately $1 billion based on 2023 pricing.
Engine deliveries for the TEJAS MK-2 aircraft are expected to begin in three years, in accordance with production and testing timelines for the prototype. The technology sharing and local assembly are anticipated to greatly strengthen India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem, despite the arrangement excluding some essential parts like the compressor, combustion chamber, and turbine.
This partnership not only guarantees the TEJAS MK-2 program’s engine supply, maintaining its manufacturing schedule, but it also represents a significant advancement towards India’s strategic objective of defence technology self-reliance.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has emphasised this as a significant step towards domestic defence production, and government officials and the Ministry of Defence have actively urged HAL and GE to complete the agreement as soon as possible.
Additionally, it is anticipated that the project will open the door for future domestic jet engine development initiatives and larger aerospace industrialisation initiatives in India, promoting stronger defence ties between the US and India as well as long-term technological collaborations.
A significant step forward for India’s aviation and defence industries, HAL’s approaching completion of the F414 engine production agreement with GE promises improved technological capability, domestic manufacturing, and strategic autonomy in fighter aircraft engine production within the next three months and beyond.