New Delhi, August 22 (HS): In a significant boost to India’s self-reliance in defense manufacturing, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday announced that the country will develop next-generation fighter jet engines in collaboration with French aerospace giant Safran. The move is aimed at powering India’s upcoming fifth-generation stealth fighter program, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Singh also confirmed that the government has cleared the purchase of 97 additional Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk-1A for the Indian Air Force (IAF), worth nearly ₹66,000 crore. This comes on top of the earlier contract for 83 Tejas jets signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) in February 2021. With this fresh approval, HAL will now produce a total of 180 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft, nearly doubling its annual output from 16 to 30 jets to meet timelines.

The Defence Minister underlined that developing a homegrown engine is crucial for India’s strategic autonomy, particularly as the country currently depends on U.S.-supplied GE-404 and GE-414 engines, deliveries of which have faced delays. While the first AMCA prototypes are likely to fly with imported GE-414 engines, the indigenous Safran-backed engine will be integrated into the Mark-2 variants, expected to enter service in the early 2030s.

“The Tejas fighter is set to become a symbol of India’s indigenous defense capability,” Singh said, stressing the government’s determination to overcome challenges in jet engine technology. He added that operational requirements following Operation Sindoor had further accelerated plans to indigenize combat aircraft production.

The AMCA program has formally been approved by the government, giving India its first-ever stealth aircraft initiative, while the Safran partnership is expected to ensure cutting-edge propulsion systems to match next-generation warfare needs.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar