India’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) is reportedly advancing plans to employ two Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters as flying test beds for the indigenous Kaveri engine. This approach aims to certify the Kaveri’s performance by evaluating its components and full engine systems under real flight environments, rather than relying solely on test rigs and laboratories, accordingly to Republic World video report.

The use of Su-30MKI aircraft is significant since the type’s twin-engine layout provides redundancy and safety, ensuring flight stability even if the experimental Kaveri encounters in-flight problems. 

Globally, similar strategies have been adopted in advanced fighter programs, such as the F-22 Raptor’s development, where surrogate platforms accelerated engine testing by allowing higher-frequency sorties and real-world stress validation.

The Kaveri engine program, initiated in the 1980s primarily for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, has been hindered by delays and underperformance, particularly in achieving the required thrust-to-weight ratio for fighter-class operations.

Initial prototypes produced about 49–51 kN of dry thrust, but fell short of matching contemporary military engine output when paired with afterburners. As a result, the engine was not adopted for frontline Tejas Mk1 or Mk1A variants, which now rely on imported GE F404-IN20 engines and the future MK-2 on GE-F414.

Despite its setbacks, the Kaveri retains strategic importance. The engine is currently being adapted for unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) such as the Ghatak stealth drone, where its current thrust levels are better suited to operational requirements. In UAV applications, efficiency, reliability, and reduced infrared signature often matter more than sheer thrust, making the Kaveri a better fit in its present configuration.

The decision to use Su-30MKIs as certification platforms could dramatically reduce testing and integration timelines. By exposing prototype engines to diverse operational conditions—altitude changes, high-g manoeuvres, supersonic profiles, and hot-and-high scenarios—the IAF and GTRE can gather validation data more rapidly than conventional test cycles allow. If conducted successfully, this would not only accelerate certification but also enhance confidence in future upgrades like afterburning variants.

However, the effort faces significant challenges, primarily financial and institutional. The Indian Air Force’s current budget is strongly oriented toward aircraft operations, fleet maintenance, and procurement of proven foreign systems, leaving limited scope for large-scale experimental engine programs. GTRE’s push will therefore rely heavily on IAF’s support and Ministry of Defence funding allocation, especially if long-duration Su-30 test flights become routine.

Success of the initiative could be a decisive boost for India’s aerospace ecosystem. A validated Kaveri would mark a path toward greater engine self-reliance, reducing dependency on foreign OEMs such as the United States’ GE, France’s Safran, or Russia’s Saturn. It would also provide India with indigenous capability in one of aviation’s most difficult technologies, strengthening its credentials as a defence-industrial power.

If approved and effectively managed, the Su-30 flying test bed program may not only revive the Kaveri for drone applications but also create a steppingstone for next-generation Indian engines, potentially powering future AMCA stealth fighters or upgraded Tejas variants. The outcome will depend on sustained political will, long-term funding commitments, and flawless execution by GTRE in close partnership with HAL and IAF.

Based Republic World video report