The Kaveri Engine represents India’s ambitious quest to achieve self-reliance in advanced jet engine technology. Conceived as the indigenous power-plant for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS, the Kaveri program has spanned nearly four decades, marked by technical challenges, critical milestones, and renewed strategic relevance.

Its successful development is pivotal for India’s defence autonomy, technological prestige, and long-term cost savings.

Development Timeline

1980s: Program Inception

1986: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is tasked with developing a jet engine for the LCA TEJAS.

1989: The Cabinet Committee on Security formally sanctions the Kaveri project, allocating ₹382 crore and setting an initial completion target of December 1996.

1990s: Early Progress and Prototype Testing

1995: The “Kabini” core engine achieves its first run

1996: The first full Kaveri prototype begins ground testing

1998: Five prototypes are under test, with flight trials originally planned for 1999. However, technical and political hurdles, including post-nuclear test sanctions, begin to slow progress

2000s: Technical Hurdles and Delinking from TEJAS

2002–2004: Persistent turbine-blade failures and issues with high-temperature metallurgy force the import of critical components and technical support from France’s SAFRAN

2004: High-altitude trials in Russia are unsuccessful, leading to the Kaveri’s official removal from the TEJAS program in 2008. The LCA TEJAS instead adopts the American GE F404 engine

2008–2010: The engine continues as a technology demonstrator, with eight full engines and four core engines built by 2010.

2010s: Continued Development and Derivative Programs

2010: The Kaveri K9 prototype undergoes flight testing in Moscow, logging significant test hours

2011–2021: The program achieves over 3,200 hours of testing, including altitude trials and Flying Test Bed (FTB) flights. The focus shifts to developing dry (non-afterburning) variants for unmanned applications and exploring marine and industrial adaptations

2020s: Renewed Momentum and Kaveri 2.0

2021–2025: The dry Kaveri variant is developed for the Ghatak Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). The afterburner module is validated, targeting 73–75 kN of wet thrust, with the eventual goal of reaching 80 kN. The Indian Navy adapts the engine for marine gas turbine applications, and private industry partners contribute to advanced manufacturing and turbo gas generator modules

2025: The Kaveri engine is undergoing final flight tests in Russia, with approximately 25 hours of testing remaining. Limited series production is expected to begin for strategic applications, notably the Ghatak UCAV. The next-generation Kaveri 2.0, with enhanced thrust and efficiency, is in the pipeline and aims to eventually replace foreign engines in the TEJAS MK-1A and MK-2 during mid-life upgrades post-2035.

Technical Challenges and Achievements

The Kaveri program has faced numerous obstacles:

Technical Barriers: Achieving the required thrust-to-weight ratio, mastering high-temperature alloys, and ensuring reliable afterburner performance proved difficult. The engine’s weight, initially higher than Western counterparts, has been reduced but remains a challenge.

Infrastructure Limitations: India’s lack of high-altitude test facilities necessitated reliance on Russia for critical trials, causing delays and logistical hurdles.

Funding And Collaboration: Budget constraints and delayed international partnerships slowed progress. Collaborations with Safran (France) and Indian industry have since accelerated development, especially for Kaveri 2.0.

Achievements: Despite setbacks, the Kaveri engine has logged thousands of hours of ground and flight testing, achieved successful integration with test-beds, and demonstrated adaptability for UAVs and naval applications. Indigenous development of digital engine controls (FADEC) and advanced gearboxes has strengthened India’s aerospace ecosystem.

Strategic Importance

Autonomy: Indigenous engine development reduces dependence on foreign suppliers, insulating India from geopolitical risks, sanctions, or supply chain disruptions.

Cost Savings: Developing and manufacturing engines domestically can yield significant long-term savings compared to repeated imports, especially as India expands its fighter and UAV fleets.

Technological Prestige: Mastering jet engine technology places India among a select group of nations (U.S., Russia, France, U.K., China) with such advanced capabilities, enhancing its global standing and defence export prospects.

Future Prospects: The Kaveri engine’s derivatives, including Kaveri 2.0 and marine variants, are set to power next-generation platforms like the Ghatak UCAV, future TEJAS upgrades, and naval vessels, marking a new era of indigenous propulsion.

Timeline Table

YearMilestone
1986DRDO authorised indigenous TEJAS power-plant program
April 1989CCS sanctions Kaveri project (₹382 cr, 93 months)
March 1995Kabini core engine first run
1996First full prototype ground tests
1998Five prototypes under test; flight trials planned
2002–2004Turbine-blade failures; SAFRAN FADEC and blade imports
Mid-2004Failed high-altitude trials in Russia
September 2008Delinked from TEJAS program
May 2010~1,880 engine test hours; eight engines and four cores built
November 2010Prototype flight test at Gromov Institute, Moscow
November 2021Nine prototypes, Four Cores, 3,217 Testing Hours, FTB trials
2025Dry variant for Ghatak UCAV; afterburner validation begins
Mid–late 2030sKaveri 2.0 operational readiness for TEJAS fleet

Conclusion

The Kaveri Engine program, though beset by delays and technical hurdles, has emerged as a cornerstone of India’s drive for self-reliance in defence technology. As of mid-2025, the engine is in advanced flight testing, with derivative and next-generation variants in development for both aerial and naval applications. Continued investment, strategic partnerships, and technological innovation are expected to bring the Kaveri program to full operational maturity in the coming decade, propelling India into the league of nations with world-class jet engine capabilities.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)