NEW DELHI : India’s long-running effort to achieve self-reliance in high-thrust military jet engines has entered a more clearly defined phase, with the head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) outlining a tentative but detailed timeline for the powerplant intended for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Mark-2.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Samir V. Kamat said that the indigenous engine programme could reach the integration stage by 2035–2036, provided it receives formal approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) during the current year.
According to Dr. Kamat, the projected timeline reflects both the complexity of modern jet engine development and lessons learned from earlier programmes. He stated that if the CCS clears the proposal this year, development trials of the engine would begin well before the mid-2030s, with formal acceptance trials planned to start around 2035. Integration with the aircraft platform would follow once those trials are completed.
The engine under discussion is a 110 kilonewton-class high-thrust turbofan designed to power the AMCA Mark-2, the more advanced variant of India’s fifth-generation fighter aircraft programme. The AMCA programme itself is being pursued in phased form to manage technological risk and avoid delays to induction into service.
The first phase, AMCA Mark-1, will rely on imported powerplants. These aircraft are planned to be powered by the GE F414-INS6 engine, produced by General Electric. The F414 engine, generating approximately 98 kN of thrust, is already in service on several modern fighter platforms worldwide. Its selection is intended to allow flight testing and induction of the AMCA to proceed without waiting for the indigenous engine to mature. Current timelines place the rollout of the first AMCA prototype in the 2028–2029 period.
The AMCA Mark-2, however, is designed around the higher-thrust indigenous engine. The additional power is considered essential for meeting the aircraft’s full performance requirements, including sustained supersonic flight without afterburner, commonly referred to as supercruise. Achieving this capability also depends on advances in high-temperature materials, cooling technologies, and digital engine control systems.
Development of the new engine is being planned as a co-development programme, rather than a purely domestic effort. DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) has been in negotiations with Safran for a joint development arrangement. Discussions have focused on shared design responsibilities, manufacturing processes, and testing infrastructure, while ensuring that India retains intellectual property rights over the final engine.
Officials familiar with the talks say the proposed agreement differs from earlier arrangements in that it aims for full transfer of technology (ToT). This would allow Indian agencies and industry partners to manufacture, modify, and potentially export the engine in the future, subject to government approvals. Such control is viewed as critical for the long-term sustainment of the AMCA fleet and for future derivative aircraft programmes.
The emphasis on collaboration reflects experience from the Kaveri engine programme, initiated in the 1980s, which achieved partial technical success but did not meet the thrust and reliability requirements for frontline fighter aircraft. DRDO leadership has acknowledged that while Kaveri helped build a domestic knowledge base, modern engine development has advanced significantly in areas such as single-crystal turbine blades, high-temperature superalloys, and thermal barrier coatings.
The urgency behind securing CCS approval is closely tied to programme sequencing. While AMCA Mark-1 received government sanction in March 2024, delays in starting the Mark-2 engine programme could widen the capability gap between the two variants, complicating production planning and force-structure decisions for the Indian Air Force.
If the engine programme proceeds as outlined, India would eventually join a small group of nations with the capability to design, test, and manufacture high-performance military jet engines across the full lifecycle. For policymakers, the project is viewed not only as a requirement for the AMCA but also as a foundational capability for future combat aircraft, unmanned platforms, and advanced aerospace systems.
At present, the proposed timeline remains contingent on formal approval and sustained funding. DRDO officials have indicated that once sanctioned, the programme will progress along parallel tracks of design, materials development, component testing, and full-engine trials, with increasing participation from Indian industry partners as the project advances.
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