DRDO’s ₹1,600-Crore High-Altitude Engine Test Facility Demand From 2016 Remains Unapproved

NEW DELHI : Parliamentary records from 2016 show that India’s leading defence research agency, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), had outlined an ambitious and costly roadmap to build critical aeronautical and aero-engine test infrastructure, even as some of the most strategically important facilities remain unapproved nearly a decade later.

Details placed before the Lok Sabha in July 2016 reveal that DRDO’s aeronautical segment had assessed a major long-term requirement for domestic testing capabilities to support indigenous aircraft, helicopter, unmanned aerial vehicle, and gas turbine engine programmes. The disclosures underline how infrastructure constraints, rather than design capability alone, continue to shape India’s defence aerospace ambitions.

₹4,000 Crore Requirement Identified For Indigenous Programmes

In a written reply to Unstarred Question No. 1141, the Ministry of Defence stated that DRDO had estimated a need of approximately ₹4,000 crore over a 10-year period for developing critical and high-value aeronautical test facilities. The response was provided by Subhash Bhamre, then Minister of State for Defence.

The estimate reflected the growing complexity of indigenous platforms under development at the time and the increasing dependence on advanced testing infrastructure to validate performance, safety, and reliability before induction into service.

GTRE And ADE Central To Infrastructure Expansion Plans

The parliamentary response highlighted two key DRDO laboratories as central to this expansion. The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) was projected to be the largest spender, with plans to invest roughly ₹2,100 crore at its Rajankunte campus near Bengaluru and about ₹1,600 crore at Nagarjunasagar. These investments were intended to support component-level and full-engine testing for aero gas turbine engines.

Alongside GTRE, the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) planned to develop a dedicated Aeronautical Test Facility at Chitradurga, Karnataka, at an estimated cost of ₹350 crore, aimed at supporting testing of both manned and unmanned aerial platforms.

Rajankunte Envisioned As A Comprehensive Engine Test Hub

At Rajankunte, GTRE proposed a Full Engine Test Facility designed to cover the complete spectrum of aero gas turbine testing. The facility was planned to include advanced infrastructure for fan and compressor testing, combustor, turbine and afterburner evaluation, and thrust-vectoring nozzle trials. Provisions were also made for twin test cells for full-scale engine testing, an engine assembly hangar, and a compressed air house.

In addition, the plan included a small engine test facility, dedicated infrastructure for marine gas turbine engines, and extensive supporting systems such as air supply installations, buildings, roads, and utilities. The total projected cost for the Rajankunte complex alone was placed at approximately ₹2,100 crore, underscoring the scale of investment required for modern engine development.

Chitradurga Test Range To Support UAVs And Aircraft

The ADE-led Aeronautical Test Range at Chitradurga was conceived as a multi-role facility for testing unmanned and manned aerial vehicles. The plan included a 2-kilometre runway, a Range Control Centre, dedicated hangars for UAV assembly, a radar building, and associated logistics and security infrastructure. The facility was intended to ease pressure on operational air bases and accelerate experimental flight trials.

High-Altitude Engine Test Facility Still Unapproved

Despite these expansive plans, a crucial proposal has remained stalled. In 2016, GTRE sought ₹1,600 crore for establishing a High-Altitude Engine Test Facility in Andhra Pradesh, a capability essential for simulating low-pressure, low-temperature conditions encountered by aircraft engines at extreme altitudes.

Such facilities are vital for validating engine relight capability, performance margins, and endurance in environments similar to those faced by fighters, helicopters, and high-end UAVs. As of now, the proposal has not been approved, leaving India without a domestic high-altitude engine testing capability and forcing continued reliance on foreign facilities.

Strategic Consequences For Aero-Engine Development

The absence of an indigenous high-altitude test facility has long been seen as a critical gap in India’s aero-engine ecosystem. Without it, development cycles for advanced engines are extended, costs rise, and strategic autonomy remains limited.

The 2016 parliamentary disclosures make clear that DRDO had identified these weaknesses early. Nearly ten years later, the continued delay highlights the challenges of translating strategic planning into execution, even as India pushes ahead with self-reliance in defence aerospace.

As new indigenous aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned systems move toward operational deployment, the urgency of completing this test infrastructure backbone is becoming increasingly pronounced within India’s defence planning establishment.