India’s indigenous Kaveri Dry Engine has now been firmly designated as the power plant for the country’s Unmanned Combat Air Vehicles (UCAVs), with manufacturing underway through Indian Industry Partners.

This marks a decisive step towards aerospace self‑reliance, as the engine moves into advanced testing and certification phases.

The Kaveri Dry Engine is a non‑afterburning aero engine specifically optimised for UCAV applications. It incorporates an indigenously designed high‑inlet‑distortion‑tolerant fan, a fuel‑control system, an autonomous engine‑control system, and a short jet pipe. These features are crucial for stealth operations, reducing infrared signatures and ensuring reliable thrust control during combat missions.

The Ministry of Defence Annual Report 2025–26 confirmed that the First Engine to Test was integrated in July 2025. Performance and operability testing in the uninstalled condition has been successfully completed. The engine is now undergoing a rebuild for installed‑condition demonstrations, including the staircase test, which validates thrust response across incremental power settings.

Manufacturing of engine modules through Indian Industry Partners is progressing steadily. Companies such as Godrej & Boyce are engaged in precision assembly, marking a shift from purely state‑run research to industrial‑scale production. This collaboration accelerates timelines for certification tests and strengthens India’s defence‑industrial base.

The Gas Turbine Research Establishment has introduced advanced compressors, turbine blades, and stealth‑oriented coatings into the derivative design. The Dry Kaveri variant delivers around 49–52 kN thrust, tailored for unmanned combat aerial vehicles such as the Ghatak UCAV.

Trials have included unrestricted throttle capability tests and Accelerated Simulated Endurance Mission Tests, replicating loiter‑strike‑loiter cycles, rapid throttle changes, and thermal cycling. These validated durability, fuel efficiency, and stealth performance.

By late 2025, the first production‑standard Dry Kaveri (D1) was handed over for baseline validation. Subsequent variants have undergone 150‑hour endurance and altitude trials. Over 140 hours of cumulative testing have been completed, including 70 hours of ground runs in Bangalore and 75 hours of airborne trials in Russia. Certification is targeted for 2026, subject to Cabinet Committee on Security clearance for the Ghatak UCAV.

The Ghatak UCAV, powered by the Kaveri Dry Engine, is expected to cruise near Mach 0.9, operate at altitudes up to 40,000 feet, and carry precision‑guided munitions over ranges exceeding 1,000 kilometres. Its endurance of about two hours on internal fuel makes it suitable for deep‑penetration missions. The absence of an afterburner reduces weight and infrared visibility, enhancing survivability in contested airspace.

The National Aero Engine Test Complex in Karnataka is being readied to support indigenous validation. This facility will reduce reliance on foreign centres and allow parallel endurance trials.

The experience gained from the Kaveri program has strengthened India’s expertise in engine integration, endurance testing, and material science, paving the way for future indigenous fighter engines such as Kaveri 2.0 and propulsion systems for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.

India’s indigenous combat‑drone engine journey is therefore entering a crucial phase. The combination of domestic innovation, private‑sector partnerships, and international testing collaborations underscores a turning point in India’s aerospace self‑reliance.

Ministry of Defence GoI