India is close to finalising a deal worth nearly $1 billion with American aerospace giant General Electric (GE) for the supply of 113 GE-404 engines to power the next batch of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark 1A, according to an ANI report.The development comes soon after the Union Government cleared a ₹62,000 crore procurement for 97 additional LCA Mark 1A fighter jets, it added. These 113 GE-404 engines will supplement an earlier order of 99 engines, already contracted by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for the initial batch of 83 LCA Mark 1As, the ANI report said.“The negotiations are almost finalised for buying 113 more GE-404 engines from the American firm GE for the 97 LCAs. The deal is likely to be finalised by September this year,” the report quoted defence officials as saying.
The acquisition of 212 GE-404 engines in total is intended to ensure seamless production and avoid delays in the indigenous fighter aircraft programme. HAL aims to deliver the first 83 aircraft by 2029-30 and the remaining 97 by 2033-34.
To meet its delivery timeline, GE is expected to ramp up engine supplies, with two engines being supplied per month.In addition, HAL is in advanced talks with GE to procure 200 of its more powerful GE-414 engines for the upcoming LCA Mark 2 and India’s fifth-generation fighter project—the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The proposed $1.5 billion deal will reportedly include an 80% transfer of technology.According to defence sources cited by ANI, the GE-414 requirement includes 162 engines for LCA Mark 2 and 10 engines for five AMCA prototypes. This engine deal is expected to be signed in the coming months.The broader indigenous fighter programme aims to replace the ageing MiG-21 fleet, according to officials.“The indigenous fighter jet project is fully backed by the Defence Ministry and Air Headquarters and is set to be a big boost for promoting indigenisation as well as give major business to small and medium enterprises engaged in the defence sector across the country,” defence officials told ANI.In parallel, India is also progressing on its long-term goal of self-reliance in defence technology. It is working with French engine manufacturer Safran to develop an indigenous fighter jet engine under a joint programme.(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)
