India's Rs 65,400 Crore Investment in Indigenous Fighter Jet Engines by 2035: Strengthening Defense Self-Reliance

A derivative of the Kaveri engine can be utilized for India's indigenous unmanned combat aerial vehicle. (File)

According to estimates revealed by a defense official leading efforts to develop a domestic engine, India anticipates spending approximately Rs 65,400 crore on purchasing engines for fighter aircraft under development through 2035.

S. V. Ramana Murthy, director of India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment, a state-operated defense laboratory, stated that the country will need roughly 1,100 engines for various fighter jet programs currently progressing through different stages.

India's long-standing initiative to power its light combat Tejas jets with the indigenous Kaveri engine has not materialized due to technical limitations.

"We must work in mission mode to establish an ecosystem for indigenous fighter engine development," Murthy emphasized at an event in New Delhi, adding that the country requires infrastructure such as high-altitude testing facilities and a robust industrial foundation.

Murthy also mentioned that a variant of the Kaveri engine could potentially power an indigenously developed unmanned combat aerial vehicle.

He is currently heading efforts to co-develop an engine with an international partner to power India's first 5th generation stealth fighter aircraft, a project for which France's Safran, Britain's Rolls-Royce, and US General Electric have expressed interest.

Indian officials have previously announced that a prototype of the fighter, designated as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, is expected to be unveiled in 2028.

The government has stated that this is the first fighter aircraft for which bids will be open to private firms, aiming to reduce dependence on Indian state-owned warplane manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, which currently produces most of India's military aircraft.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration has been working to enhance India's defense equipment manufacturing capacity and has invited weapons manufacturers to establish operations by partnering with Indian companies.