Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is set to dispatch a delegation to the United States later this month for the fifth round of negotiations with General Electric (GE) regarding the joint production of the GE F414-INS6 engines in India.

These engines are earmarked for the indigenous TEJAS MK-2 fighter and the initial tranche of India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), making the discussions a pivotal element in India’s broader aviation and technology acquisition strategy.

The development comes even as trade and tariff tensions persist between New Delhi and Washington, highlighting the resilience of the bilateral defence partnership.

According to defence and security establishment sources, the discussions have been proceeding smoothly, with the current phase focused on technological collaboration surrounding component production, while cost-related negotiations are scheduled for later stages.

The agreement under consideration involves an 80 percent transfer of technology, but this primarily pertains to the manufacturing and assembly process rather than fundamental design and development capabilities.

For engine design expertise, India has already mapped a parallel cooperation path with the French firm Safran to jointly design, develop, and produce a more powerful 120 kN propulsion system for later versions of the AMCA.

The presence of GE officials as well as representatives from the US State Department during these engine talks further reflects the strategic as well as political importance of this agreement, marking it as more than a routine industrial tie-up.

India expects the production contract to be finalised by late next year, with HAL already in possession of 10 F414 engines procured earlier for preliminary integration and testing purposes.

The delay in executing the project so far has largely been attributed to design refinements and certification challenges faced by the TEJAS MK-2 program. However, timelines are now becoming firmer, with limited series production (LSP) expected to commence in 2026, the first flight of the aircraft planned for 2027, and a subsequent three-year period allocated for flight trials and certification. Based on this progression, the Indian Air Force (IAF) anticipates an operational induction of the TEJAS MK-2 beginning around 2031.

The TEJAS MK-2 is envisioned as an advanced 4.5-generation, single-engine multi-role fighter that will play a critical role in modernising India’s combat fleet by gradually replacing legacy platforms such as the Mirage-2000, Jaguar, and MiG-29 aircraft.

Compared with the TEJAS MK-1 and MK-1A, the MK-2 features significant design upgrades including a longer fuselage for greater internal fuel storage, close-coupled canards to enhance manoeuvrability, and the more powerful GE F414-INS6 engine producing 98 kN of thrust.

Collectively, these improvements will allow the fighter to attain a higher payload capacity, extended combat range, and superior mission flexibility, placing it in a capability category close to medium-weight fighters.

For India, progressing steadily on the MK-2 project is a strategic imperative not only to address the IAF’s fighter shortfall but also to strengthen its domestic aerospace ecosystem, which is steadily evolving toward more self-reliant production lines.

The AMCA program, closely linked to these propulsion arrangements, stands at the centre of India’s ambition to field a fifth-generation stealth-capable multi-role fighter. The reliance on the F414-INS6 engines in its initial prototypes and early production runs makes the HAL-GE agreement critical in supporting AMCA timelines.

However, over the medium-to-long term, the co-developed 120 kN engine with Safran is expected to succeed the F414 as the definitive power-plant for AMCA Block-2, ensuring greater strategic autonomy in propulsion technology.

The dual-track approach—joint production with the US for immediate capability requirements and R&D collaboration with France for indigenous design leadership—marks a deliberate and carefully balanced industrial policy.

It allows India both to meet interim combat needs and to build the foundation for long-term engine development capabilities, which remain one of the most complex and strategically sensitive domains in the aerospace sector.

In this backdrop, HAL’s upcoming engagement in the US carries multiple implications. Beyond the transactional value of the F414 deal, it represents a test of India’s success in leveraging its geopolitical relationships for sustained defence technology access, even amid broader trade frictions.

With the IAF’s fleet rationalisation plan heavily dependent on the timely roll-out of the TEJAS MK-2, the engine program’s smooth execution is crucial. Should HAL and GE achieve a streamlined production partnership that delivers both quality and scale, it would significantly reduce India’s dependence on imported fighter solutions, while also strengthening the credibility of its indigenous aerospace manufacturing base.

At the same time, the conclusion of these talks will set the stage for India’s next decisive phase—moving beyond licensed production into joint design and development, as evidenced by its parallel track with France.

The outcome will not only define the future trajectory of India’s fighter jet programs like TEJAS MK-2 and AMCA but will also mark a landmark moment in the country’s long pursuit of propulsion sovereignty.

Based On The Print Report