• India and France agree to a landmark partnership to co-develop a new 120 kN class fighter jet engine, with full technology transfer.
  • The ₹61,000 crore (approx. $7.3 billion USD) initiative will power India's future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
  • The deal, expected to be finalized by late 2025, marks a major step in India's push for defense self-reliance and strengthens strategic ties with France.

In a move that significantly advances its defense indigenization goals, India has agreed to a landmark partnership with France to co-develop and co-produce next-generation fighter jet engines. The deal, confirmed by the defense ministry, will see France’s Safran Group collaborate with India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) on a new 120 kilonewton (kN) class turbofan engine.

The ministry has recommended Safran’s proposal, which is valued at approximately ₹61,000 crore ($7.3 billion USD), based on its alignment with India’s AMCA program timeline and a commitment to full technology transfer and joint intellectual property, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The engine is a clean-sheet design, optimized for the stealth, speed, and supercruise performance required for fifth-generation fighter capabilities, and is not an upgrade of an existing powerplant.

Final government approval for the project is expected by the end of 2025. If cleared, a prototype engine could be ready for ground trials by 2030, a timeline that matches the development schedule for India’s future AMCA platform. The deal represents the largest defense collaboration between the two nations and cements France’s position as a primary defense partner for India, following recent agreements for Rafale fighters.

More than 250 of these new engines are projected to be needed for India’s future fighter fleet over the next decade. The partnership is a cornerstone of India’s "Make in India" initiative, aimed at developing domestic expertise, decreasing reliance on imported engines, and creating a high-skilled aerospace manufacturing base. The selection of Safran over other contenders, such as UK-based Rolls Royce, underscores the critical importance Indian officials placed on securing full technology transfer.

Officials at DRDO and the Ministry of Defence did not immediately respond to requests for further comment. The deal is widely seen as a transformative step for India’s aerospace sector, potentially enabling the country to join a select group of nations with the capability to design and manufacture advanced fighter engines.