Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and GE Aerospace, a subsidiary of General Electric, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), signaling the potential manufacturing of jet engines in India. The agreement involves the possible joint production of GE Aerospace’s F414 engines in India to power the Tejas fighter jets. Moreover, GE is also expected to fulfill an order of 99 F404 engines that will support India’s Light Combat Aircraft program. The deal is happening during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States.
This is a historic agreement made possible by our longstanding partnership with India and HAL, said H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of GE. General Electric stated that the F414 engines’ reliability and flight hours had surpassed the set goals, with over five million flight hours and eight countries using F414-powered aircraft.
India has struggled to manufacture sophisticated jet engines domestically, as evident by the Kaveri engine’s performance. The GE F414 engine had been shortlisted by India over a decade ago; however, stringent export controls prevented a deal from happening. Nonetheless, as defense ties between India and the US deepen, the deal came back onto the agenda. Only a handful of countries, including the US, the UK, Russia, and France, can manufacture advanced jet engines. This deal’s successful implementation will be an essential step towards self-reliance in defense for India.
