Recent reports circulating about French company Safran clearing the Kaveri engine for immediate integration with India's LCA Tejas fighter jet have been clarified as misleading and based on outdated information.
Sources within DRDO confirmed that while the Kaveri engine project is indeed undergoing a revival, Safran's involvement is not new and stems from a 2018 audit conducted as part of offset obligations related to India's purchase of Rafale fighter jets. The audit concluded that the engine was ready for limited flight testing, but there are currently no plans for Safran's formal participation in the project.
The DRDO has outlined an independent development roadmap for the Kaveri engine, with plans to test a dry engine with an afterburner on an LCA Tejas trainer aircraft by 2028-29. This timeline aligns with the organization's commitment to achieving self-reliance in critical defense technologies.
While the exact future of the Kaveri engine remains uncertain, the DRDO's progress and determination to continue its development offer a promising outlook for India's indigenous fighter jet program.
