French Safran And DRDO Team Up To Deliver India’s First Indigenous Jet Engine

cIndia’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and French aerospace firm Safran are partnering to co-develop India’s first indigenous high-thrust fighter jet engine. The $7 billion project, expected to receive final government approval soon, aims to power India’s fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and achieve self-reliance in a critical defense technology previously fraught with challenges.

Project details and objectives

• Target thrust: The collaboration will produce engines initially generating 120 kN (kiloNewtons) of thrust, with plans to scale up to 140 kN in later versions.
• Powering future aircraft: These engines are designed to be the powerplant for the twin-engine AMCA stealth fighter and the Indian Navy’s Twin-Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF).
• Complete technology transfer: A key aspect of the agreement is Safran’s commitment to provide 100% technology transfer, including critical single-crystal blade technology. India will retain full intellectual property rights (IPR) for the engine, granting operational autonomy for future upgrades and modifications.
• Development timeline: The partnership plans to deliver nine engine prototypes over a 12-year period. The first flight test is tentatively scheduled for 2028, with certification expected around 2032.
• Domestic manufacturing: The entire production and manufacturing process will take place in India, bolstering the “Make in India” defense initiative and involving major Indian private sector players like Tata, Larsen & Toubro, and Adani Defence in the AMCA program.
• Achieving strategic independence: By mastering jet propulsion technology, India seeks to eliminate its long-standing dependency on foreign suppliers for fighter engines. This will increase negotiating leverage in future defense contracts and reduce the risk of supply disruptions due to geopolitical factors.
• Joining an elite group: The successful development of an indigenous fighter engine will place India in an exclusive group of nations—including the U.S., Russia, the U.K., and France—that possess the capability to design, develop, and produce advanced combat aircraft engines.