India searches for foreign partners to build engines
India’s Kaveri aero-engine has had an incredibly troubled gestation. (Photo: DRDO)
Sourcing engines for home-grown military platforms and weapons is proving a thorn in the side of India.
India is grappling with developing indigenous engines for upcoming platforms such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), autonomous systems, missiles and ships. Discussions at DefExpo 2022 invariably centred on how OEMs – including GE Aviation, Rolls-Royce and Safran – are willing to get involved in supporting Indian programmes.
No full commitments have been announced yet, but General Electric said it is in the process of establishing aero-engine manufacturing infrastructure in India. Its supply chain has grown to 13 companies.
Safran’s position remains unclear, but Rolls-Royce recently said it was keen to participate in the AMCA programme.
Elsewhere, HAL said an
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