Talks on with French firm for making its engine in India

In a major development for India’s fighter jet program, talks are in final stages to co-develop an engine with French major Safran. These engines will be used to power the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth-generation fighter jet being designed and made indigenously.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to travel to Europe from May 2 to May 6 to have bilateral meetings with re-elected French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz apart from addressing the key India-Nordic summit in Copenhagen. With Macron getting re-elected as French President for the second term with a resounding vote, PM Modi is expected to drop by in Paris to meet and greet the leader of one of India’s closest bilateral partners.

The French company, which has an existing partnership to make engines for helicopters in India, is ready to make the engines in India and as per India’s requirements, sources said, adding that the final round of discussions was on.

The AMCA is proposed to be a twin-engine stealth fighter jet that will come in two variants – stealth and non-stealth version.

According to ADA the final configuration of the AMCA has been frozen (finalised) and by year-end,  the CDR (Comprehensive Design Review) is slated to be completed.

A successful CDR means its design has been found viable.

The DRDO had announced the use of the US engine would be an interim measure until India developed a higher-thrust power plant. The F414 has a thrust of over 90 kilonewton (kN), while the DRDO is looking to develop an engine with 110kN of thrust with foreign assistance. Higher thrust allows heavier take-off weights, enabling carriage of more fuel and weapons. It also endows an aircraft with greater manoeuvrability, a major advantage in aerial combat and evading anti-aircraft missiles.