Big boost for India's 5th gen fighter plane project: Safran clears full jet-engine tech transfer, says report

India currently relies entirely on imported engines for its fighter fleet, with propulsion systems accounting for a major share of both acquisition and life-cycle costs

Safran has agreed to provide India with full transfer of technology (ToT) for a new fighter jet engine, including the crucial hot section, The Economic Times reported.

Safran CEO Olivier Andries told ET that the company will work with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to co-develop the engine in India, calling the scope of the transfer unprecedented.

The proposed 120-140 kN engine is intended for the indigenous fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a twin-engine stealth fighter to be built with significant private-sector participation. ET noted that Tata Group, Larsen & Toubro and Adani Defence are among the companies that have responded to the Aeronautical Development Agency's interest for industry involvement.

People familiar with the matter told ET that the government is expected to soon announce a joint venture between Safran and DRDO's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a programme estimated at roughly $7 billion.

India currently relies entirely on imported engines for its fighter fleet, with propulsion systems accounting for a major share of both acquisition and life-cycle costs. Efforts to develop a local solution under the Kaveri programme did not yield an engine capable of producing the required thrust, ET reported.

Andries said the collaboration will include work on compressors, turbines and other high-value components, with intellectual property rights accruing to India. He also told ET that Safran is open to establishing an assembly line for the Rafale's M88 engine in the country, after securing clearances from the French government.

Experts quoted by ET, including Dinakar Peri of Carnegie India, said mastering jet-engine technologies remains India's most critical barrier to defence self-reliance. Peri added that if the agreement indeed delivers complete ToT, India must build a long-term plan to absorb and advance the expertise it gains.

In parallel, Safran announced a joint venture with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) to manufacture air-to-ground weapons in India, ET reported.

The French company is also expanding its commercial aviation footprint in the country. As covered by ET, Safran inaugurated an engine MRO facility in Hyderabad to service LEAP engines used by major global narrow-body aircraft platforms. With IndiGo, Air India and Akasa together holding orders for more than 1,300 aircraft, the centre is expected to support growing domestic maintenance requirements.

A statement shared by the Press Information Bureau and cited by ET said that strengthening local MRO capacity will reduce foreign exchange outflows, create high-skilled jobs and reinforce supply-chain resilience as India positions itself as an emerging aviation hub.