Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has announced that India is set to manufacture advanced fighter jet engines domestically within the next year.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, Singh said that ongoing discussions with major aerospace firms, including GE Aerospace and France’s Safran, are making solid progress.

The final decision will rest with the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), he confirmed.

Singh stated that the government’s vision is to ensure that fighter engines for Indian aircraft are built on Indian soil, by Indian engineers and technicians.

He emphasised that any agreement signed with international partners will prioritise full technology transfer to enable indigenous production. This, he said, is aligned with the government’s overarching objective of achieving complete self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

At present, India continues to import several critical aerospace components and engines to support its fleet, including those for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and other operational platforms. Singh, however, reiterated that these imports are temporary measures.

The long-term goal, he affirmed, is absolute indigenisation across the entire supply chain. He stressed that future defence partnerships would adhere strictly to India's strategic and technological self-reliance requirements.

While India remains open to international collaboration, Singh made it clear that such partnerships must contribute directly to local manufacturing and domestic skill development. “We may buy engines from abroad, but manufacturing must happen in India,” he asserted, reflecting the policy continuity of the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives.

Turning to indigenous projects, Singh reported that the design phase of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) has concluded successfully, with overall development progressing at a steady pace. He described the current status as “good and satisfactory,” predicting that the project’s completion is unlikely to extend beyond the coming decade. He also underlined the government’s commitment to providing all necessary resources to accelerate AMCA’s development.

Singh lauded the operational effectiveness of Rafale fighter jets during recent military operations, particularly Operation Sindoor, calling them “excellent aircraft.”

He also confirmed that talks concerning the procurement of 114 additional fighter jets under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme are moving forward with positive momentum. He noted that these acquisitions will further strengthen the Indian Air Force’s multi-role capabilities.

Addressing the broader framework of defence reforms, Singh highlighted significant milestones in India’s export performance. Defence exports have already reached the ₹25,000 crore mark and are projected to double by 2030.

This rapid expansion has been driven by the export of military vehicles, naval systems, ammunition, drones, and precision weapons, demonstrating India's growing stature as a global defence supplier.

Singh revealed that over 550 items have been identified for import substitution, with local production already underway. These range from basic components to high-value systems contributing to the nation’s resilience in wartime supply chains.

He expressed satisfaction with the pace of self-reliance initiatives, remarking that the progress achieved within the past few years has been “very encouraging.”

He concluded by reaffirming the government’s long-term vision: an India capable of designing, developing, and producing every major defence platform independently.

With increasing private sector participation and focused technology transfer agreements, Singh affirmed that India’s journey towards full defence autonomy is no longer a distant dream but a measurable, achievable goal on the near horizon.

Based On News18 Report