India’s big push for homegrown jet engines is heating up! The Central government is set to greenlight a massive joint project between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and French giant Safran. This collaboration will develop and build advanced jet engines right here in India, powering the country’s own fifth-generation fighter aircraft like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
Picture this: engines packing a punch with 120 kilonewtons of thrust, designed for twin-engine setups on the AMCA and other future platforms. The best part? Safran is handing over 100% technology transfer, so India can master this high-tech skill. Senior officials say DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) will lead the charge, and the whole thing could cost around $7 billion.
This exciting move comes just after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech, where he stressed the need for indigenous jet engine development. It’s a game-changer for India’s defence tech, with huge potential spin-offs for civilian industries too.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently shared the update at a Delhi event, saying, “We have also moved towards manufacturing the aircraft’s engine in India itself. We are about to start engine manufacturing work in India with the French company Safran.” Back in May, he even approved the AMCA’s prototype design, a huge step for building advanced combat aircraft at home.
Private players are jumping in to support the effort—think Tata Group, Adani Defence, and L&T. This project will rocket India into an elite group of nations like the US, Russia, UK, and France that design and produce their own aircraft engines. For context, even China relies on Russian tech or reverse-engineered versions for its top fighters.
The Indian Navy stands to gain big too, with these powerful Safran-GTRE engines fueling twin-engine deck-based fighters for aircraft carriers. It’s all part of India’s blue-water navy strategy to dominate the seas. As the proposal heads to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for final nod, excitement is building for this leap in indigenous defence manufacturing. Stay tuned for more on India’s rising aerospace power!
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