DRDO's Liquid Fuel Ramjet (LFRJ) Engine Development-Cum-Production Partner (DcPP) program has attracted 14 Indian vendors, reflecting the rapid growth and diversification of India's missile propulsion ecosystem.

This initiative aims to indigenously develop and produce the air-breathing LFRJ engines that will power future supersonic cruise missiles, enhancing India's self-reliance in advanced defence propulsion technologies.

The vendors competing span a broad spectrum of India's defence sector, including established legacy firms such as Godrej, TASL, VEM, L&T, MTAR, BDL, BEML, HAL (Koraput), PTC, BHEL, and KUN Aerospace.

Supporting this are NewSpace start-ups like Skyroot Aerospace, showcasing the infusion of private sector innovation complementing traditional defence manufacturing capacities under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. This partnership model seeks to combine early technology transfer with accelerated production capabilities to ensure swift scale-up from lab development to large-scale manufacturing.

The LFRJ engine is a highly complex air-breathing propulsion system designed to enable sustained supersonic flight by using atmospheric oxygen for combustion, which reduces the need for carrying oxidisers onboard and thus increases the missile’s range and endurance.

DRDO's focus is on creating a fully indigenous propulsion system, cutting reliance on imports, especially from sources like Russia, and aligning with the broader Make in India strategy.

The liquid ramjet fuel itself has been developed indigenously by DRDO’s labs with industry partners such as BPCL and Mineral Oil Corporation, marking critical progress towards a complete eco-system for indigenous missile propulsion.

The LFRJ engine will underpin future supersonic and hypersonic missile programs, including the STAR missile, a supersonic cruise missile designed with a booster followed by the ramjet engine for sustained high-speed flight.

The integration of such engines will notably augment the range, speed, and operational flexibility of Indian missile systems, potentially including anti-radiation and anti-AWACS variants for platforms like the TEJAS MK-1A and MK-2.

This diverse vendor engagement and technology push highlight India's strategic effort to expand its propulsion technology base, bringing together industrial giants and agile start-ups to power next-generation missile systems for the Indian Armed Forces.

The DcPP program not only fortifies indigenous capabilities in defence manufacturing but also sets a precedent for collaborative innovation within India’s missile propulsion domain.​​

IDN (With Agency Inputs)