Amid Ongoing US Engine Delay, Indian Firms Push for 90 kN Kaveri as a Strategic Tejas Engine Alternative

In a significant push for India's self-reliance in aerospace technology, leading private defence firms Godrej Defence and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) have proposed to the Ministry of Defence that the government fund the development of a more powerful variant of the indigenous Kaveri engine.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the proposal outlines a plan to create an upgraded Kaveri Derivative Engine (KDE) equipped with a new afterburner, capable of producing 90 kilonewtons (kN) of thrust, to serve as a long-term power plant for the Tejas Mk1A combat aircraft.

This initiative comes at a critical time, aiming to create a domestically produced engine that can meet the evolving demands of India's light combat aircraft fleet and reduce a critical dependency on foreign suppliers.

The proposal from the industrial giants, whose expertise is foundational to India's defence manufacturing ecosystem, represents a pivotal step towards securing the nation's aerospace future.

Godrej Aerospace has already demonstrated its capability by manufacturing major components and delivering two complete Kaveri engines to the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), while L&T offers extensive experience in defence systems integration.

The Kaveri engine project, originally launched in 1986 by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was intended to power the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). While the program faced challenges with achieving the required thrust and managing engine weight, it has since made substantial progress.

A non-afterburning version, the KDE, was successfully developed for the Ghatak stealth drone program, reliably producing 46-49 kN of dry thrust in ground tests. Godrej has been instrumental, delivering two 48 kN KDE engines in April 2025, with six more scheduled for delivery by the end of the year.

A key challenge remains the thrust gap. The current Tejas Mk1A jets are fitted with the American General Electric F404-IN20 engine, which generates 84 kN of thrust. The more advanced Tejas Mk2 will require the even more powerful 98 kN GE F414-INS6 engine.

Projections show that the current KDE, when fitted with an afterburner being developed by BrahMos Aerospace, can produce 73-75 kN of thrust, similar to the French Safran M88-2 engine of the Rafale jet.

However, this is insufficient for the Tejas fleet, prompting Godrej and L&T to advocate for a new variant powerful enough to reach the 90 kN benchmark required by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The IAF's operational needs underscore the urgency for a more powerful engine. With orders for 83 Tejas Mk1A placed in 2021 and another 97 approved in 2024, the air force is set to operate a fleet of nearly 220 of these advanced fighters.

Over their 40-year service life, this fleet will require more than 700 engines, including regular replacements. As the aircraft's design has evolved to carry heavier and more advanced weapon systems, its maximum take-off weight has increased, demanding greater engine thrust to maintain combat effectiveness.

The push for an indigenous solution is intensified by significant geopolitical risks and supply chain disruptions.

The production of the Tejas Mk1A has already been impacted by severe delays in the delivery of GE F404 engines from the United States. Reports indicate that despite a 2021 order for 99 engines, only a single unit had been delivered by March 2025 due to US supply chain constraints.

Furthermore, concerns over potential US sanctions related to India's international relations have cast uncertainty over the critical transfer of technology deal for the GE F414 engines, making a self-reliant alternative a matter of strategic necessity.

The proposed roadmap involves a two-stage process. The first step would be to integrate the current 73-75 kN Kaveri engine with a Tejas aircraft for flight trials by 2028.

Following successful tests, the second phase would focus on developing the uprated 90 kN variant to be integrated into the Tejas Mk1A fleet during their mid-life upgrades.

While challenges such as reducing the engine's weight—currently 1,180 kg compared to the F404's 1,035 kg—and perfecting the afterburner technology remain, the joint proposal by Godrej and L&T signals a determined effort by Indian industry to secure a sovereign capability in aero-engine technology.

 

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[priyanshu3657]

KDE with brahmos aerospace's afterburner will be lighter than original kaveri

 

[Vasugali]

Very good if it is possible

 

[Zakir]

If is is possible, it reduces the dependency on foreign firm with indigenous solution

 

[Lallan]

We can do it and certainly we will do it.

 

[ddzz13687]

Kaveri engine technology should be transferred to private sector to scale it up to 90 kn with lighter materials to reduce weight.

 

[Madan]

Proposal needs to be given a serious thought by the Govt. Experts of private companies must be given a chance for the upgradation. Government must provide the necessary funds.

 

[DK MishraTM]

We need to rope in IITs,private sector major players like Godrej,Mahindra,Tata Advanced Systems and L&T alongwith DRDO /ADE to jointly develop jet engines as dependence on USA is highly risky as in emergent geopolitical situations,it may impose sanctions which will put great danger to our security. If feasible,go for reverse brain drain/ rope in from western nations where our indian brothers are contributing immensely in the engine R&D field. Let goverment enhance funding for R&D in IITs/ centres of excellence to develop engines of higher rating) Kn to meet our future need and be Fully Atmanirbhar in this field. If need be go for tie up with japanese companies and reduce dependency with GE.

 

[DS]

A Sovereign capability in jet engine technology is the need of the hour.

Good planning and execution required now by User / DRDO / Private sector/ Public Sector as envisaged in column above.

IAF & IN need this indigenous engine like yesterday.

 

[MohitG]

Very good initiative. The government should do all possible help to both private & public sector for attaining self reliance in jet engine

 

[Muthu.Kumar]

We need to rope in IITs,private sector major players like Godrej,Mahindra,Tata Advanced Systems and L&T alongwith DRDO /ADE to jointly develop jet engines as dependence on USA is highly risky as in emergent geopolitical situations,it may impose sanctions which will put great danger to our security. If feasible,go for reverse brain drain/ rope in from western nations where our indian brothers are contributing immensely in the engine R&D field. Let goverment enhance funding for R&D in IITs/ centres of excellence to develop engines of higher rating) Kn to meet our future need and be Fully Atmanirbhar in this field. If need be go for tie up with japanese companies and reduce dependency with GE.

Fantastic. This is exactly what I've been saying in the forums repeatedly.

Great to see another great mind echoing my views 🙂

 

[Muthu.Kumar]

I've been reading this news again and again. But no follow ups about the response from the MOD.

Not sure if the MOD truly is interested in indigenous technology. Looks like it wants to work with the West (read it as 'riding on their shoulders like an intellectualy paralyzed and handicapped and crippled and deprived and disabled and debilitated nation') with a mega budget all the time instead of doing things itself.

It was understandable to depend on the West in the beginning when we didn't have the technology. But in the past 40-50 years we too have grown technologically though at snail speed (because of the lack of the contribution from the academia)

In high end technology such as this, contribution of our technological schools such as IITs, IISc etc are very crucial. In the US, it is very common for both the private and public sector working with the universities like MIT, Princeton, Harvard etc.

In fact, the American fighter jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney worked with MIT and completed the project in just 10 years. It itself accepted that, had it gone alone without MIT, it would have taken 30 years for the same.

This kind of joint effort is almost nil in India.

Instead of spending 5000 crores for GE engines (not sure if the budget for the TOT and local production of F-414) and 61000 crores for joint development of AMCA engine with safran‌, I'm absolutely positive if India ropes in the best and the brightest from IITs, IISc etc and order them to work with the industry (GTRE and / or the private entities), they will achieve this in less than half that budget.

In fact, read another article which stated that some NRI engineers working in GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce etc. and have expertise in the core engine design and manufacturing, expressed their willingness to work with GTRE to develop India's own engine INDIGENOUSLY.

But, looks like they were ordered to write and pass an exam.

God save India.

 

[P2S2]

I've been reading this news again and again. But no follow ups about the response from the MOD.

Not sure if the MOD truly is interested in indigenous technology. Looks like it wants to work with the West (read it as 'riding on their shoulders like an intellectualy paralyzed and handicapped and crippled and deprived and disabled and debilitated nation') with a mega budget all the time instead of doing things itself.

It was understandable to depend on the West in the beginning when we didn't have the technology. But in the past 40-50 years we too have grown technologically though at snail speed (because of the lack of the contribution from the academia)

In high end technology such as this, contribution of our technological schools such as IITs, IISc etc are very crucial. In the US, it is very common for both the private and public sector working with the universities like MIT, Princeton, Harvard etc.

In fact, the American fighter jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney worked with MIT and completed the project in just 10 years. It itself accepted that, had it gone alone without MIT, it would have taken 30 years for the same.

This kind of joint effort is almost nil in India.

Instead of spending 5000 crores for GE engines (not sure if the budget for the TOT and local production of F-414) and 61000 crores for joint development of AMCA engine with safran‌, I'm absolutely positive if India ropes in the best and the brightest from IITs, IISc etc and order them to work with the industry (GTRE and / or the private entities), they will achieve this in less than half that budget.

In fact, read another article which stated that some NRI engineers working in GE, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls Royce etc. and have expertise in the core engine design and manufacturing, expressed their willingness to work with GTRE to develop India's own engine INDIGENOUSLY.

But, looks like they were ordered to write and pass an exam.

God save India.

Assuming is a waste. India already has what others didn't have. Anyone of those working hands on in others projects could have an idea and do something about it. And the numbers are increasing. Our job is to keep our fingers crossed, hope, pray and not discourage with out of date assumptions. Yes, its a huge success, our collective will is exploding everywhere. Kn thrusts have increased significantly. New brains are joining the fray. Very encouraging. Congrats to us ALL.