Race for India's AMCA Engine Heats Up as GE, Rolls-Royce, and Safran Present Final Proposals to DRDO

India's program to develop its own fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), is reaching a critical stage. The key decision now is selecting an international partner to co-develop the powerful engine that will propel the aircraft.

DRDO, through its Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), is currently evaluating final proposals from three major aerospace companies: General Electric (GE) from the United States, Rolls-Royce from the United Kingdom, and Safran from France.

The Indian government is expected to make a decision by the end of 2025. This choice will significantly impact the AMCA's capabilities, India's goal of defense self-sufficiency, and the country's strategic partnerships.

Dr. Samir V. Kamat, the head of DRDO, confirmed the ongoing negotiations at the Aero India 2025 event. He stated that discussions were underway with GE, Rolls-Royce, and Safran for the joint development and production of the AMCA engine, with a decision anticipated by the end of the year. This timeline underscores India's drive to finalize a partner and begin development, with the aim of conducting engine trials by 2033 and starting production by 2035.

Each of the three contenders offers a unique combination of technology and strategic advantages.

General Electric (GE), a long-standing partner that already provides F404 engines for India's Tejas Mk-1 fighter and F414 engines for the Tejas Mk-2 and the initial version of the AMCA (Mk-1), is proposing to co-develop a powerful engine in the 110-130 kilonewton (kN) thrust class. GE offer, with experience, draws from its F414 engine design.

However, GE's proposal does not include a complete transfer of technology (ToT), largely due to U.S. export control regulations and India's existing defense relationship with Russia. While this might limit India's long-term control over the technology, it could allow for faster integration due to established supply chains.

Rolls-Royce, known for its EJ200 engine (which powers the Eurofighter Typhoon) and its involvement in the 6th-generation Tempest fighter program, is offering a co-development model that includes joint intellectual property rights (IPR). The British company is promising a full transfer of technology and the ability to customize the engine specifically for the AMCA.

Rolls-Royce estimates a ten-year timeframe from the signing of the agreement to the delivery of the first engines. Their proposal also emphasizes advanced technologies like hybrid propulsion and thermal management, potentially making the AMCA more adaptable to future needs.

However, the complexities of sharing intellectual property rights could potentially lead to longer negotiation periods.

Safran, the French company that manufactures the M88 engine for the Rafale fighter jet, has presented a particularly strong offer. The company is proposing a 100% transfer of technology, including full intellectual property rights, for a new engine also in the 110-130 kN thrust class.

Safran is leveraging its existing offset obligations from the Rafale deal and a potential plan to revitalize the Kaveri engine program. They pledge to manufacture the engine entirely in India, without any restrictions on exports, and to train Indian companies in crucial areas like metallurgy and design.

This approach strongly aligns with the India's "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiative. However, the potential for higher costs and a longer development timeline are important factors to consider.

 

[Raja Raja Cholan]

Good, but why Time has been wasted in finalizing & signing the deal? This will affect the timeline of manufacturing the new engine by 2035. Almost 4 to 5 years have been wasted. Just fast-track this process. Just keep GE out of the AMCA engine development project. Safran or RR; it will be a European company that will be the foreign partner for the engine development project. Last time at Aero-India 2025, it was news RR was ready to share 100%. Now this article says Safran is ready to share 100%; it's a contradiction.

Absolutely agree with your comment. It's very contradicting news compared to several earlier news reports on this platform. All the while, it was reported that RR is willing to offer full ToT and IPR, and now it's an abrupt U-turn. It seems RR is the frontrunner to clinch this deal, and the winner will be announced during Aero India 2025. I can understand that news sometimes can be unreliable, depending on feeds from the source.

 

[sunil5342]

Friends I got frustrated and sad by seeing YouTube videos from a channel " unpaid insights " , please give him a good reply lesson. Jai hind.

 

[sanket]

Absolutely agree with your comment. It's very contradicting news compared to several earlier news reports on this platform. All the while, it was reported that RR is willing to offer full ToT and IPR, and now it's an abrupt U-turn. It seems RR is the frontrunner to clinch this deal, and the winner will be announced during Aero India 2025. I can understand that news sometimes can be unreliable, depending on feeds from the source.

I think RR's offer is best. Yes, they are willing to share 100% ToT for the engine. I too think RR is the front runner to clinch the deal. Safran too wants to hold some critical tech; they are not likely to share 100% ToT. But I don't know how this article says Safran is the front runner, & another article at Aero-India time was saying different. Thanks, sir, for throwing some light on it.

 

[Muthu.Kumar]

Poor KAVERI, only confined to UAV.

 

[desigandu]

Good, timing wise the high thrust engine deal will only be finalized and signed after the GE414 deal is signed and starting to operationalize…

GE makes most sense technically due to familiarity with GE404 and 414, towards a new 110-130kn engine, but strategically the Americans can’t be trusted due to their national interest, IPRand other complexities…RR may be a good partner but will bend to American pressure, that leaves Safran which is best in my opinion despite it being expensive and they have never developed such a high thrust engine…

What Bharat needs to make sure is a watertight contract with safran with G2G guarantees and severe penalties…This high thrust engine must be owned, developed, produced in Bharat with 100% IPRand TOT rights with no export or other controls…

In parallel Bharat needs to reinvest in kaveri2 for a 85-90kn engine that can power the reengining of Tejas Mk1s and all our drone efforts…Also engine test facilities must be developed asap….

Fighter engines must become a national priority and money, resources and efforts must be put in like we are doing for SSBNs…I am confident that by 2033-2035 we would have solved the engine issues and even started producing the high thrust engine in big numbers…

 

[Alok Gupta]

I was hoping this deal would have been signed during Aero India 2025. I am more in favor of RR and then Safran. The US govt is too finicky to be a good and reliable partner.

 

[Surfer]

No, keep GE around. Their mere presence will force Safran and RR to offer attractive proposals.

Safran doesn't know much, they haven't developed any engine since 1980, they are rusty. RR would be the best bet, usually, the British used to give a lot of TOT on their products to India in the past. If we use the EJ200 as the base, then we could very well get EF Typhoon Tranche 5 LTE for MRFA, and could use that as a bargaining chip. This EJ200 engine can fit straight-up into the Tejas without modifications, two birds in one stone. Right now, the EU/UK is separate and are more desperate for money, so we can get more TOT on the EF Typhoon and EJ200 engine also.

 

[Akash7645]

The West doesn't want India to become self sufficient in Aero Engines. All this ToT and 10-year time frame is decoys. I don't see any aero engine before 2040

 

[Vasugali]

West is never reliable. France is too costly and it's outlook is confirmed from the submarine TOT issue. Rafael may be good now but will get outdated very soon. So it is better to consider Russian 177S / AL 51 with TOT or be at the mercy of GE. No use with RR/ Sarfran. Better to consider a quick/ immediate solution and then concentrate on Kaveri for future needs.

 

[prasant kumar shaarma]

Safran doesn't know much, they haven't developed any engine since 1980, they are rusty. RR would be the best bet, usually, the British used to give a lot of TOT on their products to India in the past. If we use the EJ200 as the base, then we could very well get EF Typhoon Tranche 5 LTE for MRFA, and could use that as a bargaining chip. This EJ200 engine can fit straight-up into the Tejas without modifications, two birds in one stone. Right now, the EU/UK is separate and are more desperate for money, so we can get more TOT on the EF Typhoon and EJ200 engine also.

At present, we need a little more information.

Safran is immune to USA pressure, whereas RR is not.

Otherwise, RR seems better at present.

But, you know, Trump is a very unpredictable negotiator, even for the better.

Both India and the USA want the IAF to be equipped with formidable 5th-generation fighter planes against China. What if Trump offers an unrestricted clause against China? And a few more concessions on engine technology?

So, to get a better bargain, keep all the options open until the agreement is signed.

 

[Ronin]

At present, we need a little more information.

Safran is immune to USA pressure, whereas RR is not.

Otherwise, RR seems better at present.

But, you know, Trump is a very unpredictable negotiator, even for the better.

Both India and the USA want the IAF to be equipped with formidable 5th-generation fighter planes against China. What if Trump offers an unrestricted clause against China? And a few more concessions on engine technology?

So, to get a better bargain, keep all the options open until the agreement is signed.

But to build a new engine from scratch will take an eternity and a lot of money. Also, like US, SAFRAN doesn't want to give 100% IPR; they are notorious for charging license fees. My guess is they will use SNECMA M-88 as a base and charge us license fees forever.

 

[prasant kumar shaarma]

But to build a new engine from scratch will take an eternity and a lot of money. Also, like US, SAFRAN doesn't want to give 100% IPR; they are notorious for charging license fees. My guess is they will use SNECMA M-88 as a base and charge us license fees forever.

Honestly speaking, our negotiators are almost sure of being cheated. This is the only reason why we are negotiating for a two-engine deal - F414 with GE, and another one with either of the three - whereas it would have been economical to deal with GE alone for a technology superior to the present and near-future technology of China, even if it was to be their second, third, or fourth-best technology.

If the Great Game unfolds, if Trump's negotiation in the matter of the Ukraine war succeed (for an untold condition of making Russia farther from China, the best bargain would be for Russia to be neutral) GE would be the choice.

 

[FROST]

Would it seems it's logical end atleast by this year end

 

[skyfall21]

Before investing in this expensive partnership with GE or SAFRAN, the Government of India should invest in establishing at least one university that is dedicated towards aero-engine development and material science. Currently, we have none.

The aeronautical engineering departments that we have teach little to nothing about aero-engine manufacturing or materials needed for them. There is no lab where there is any working model of an aero-engine on display--so that students can feel what it means for an engine to make a plane fly--not even engines for a trainer aircraft or a hobby aircraft. Our aeronautical engineers learn in their colleges only through theory--by professors who themselves have never seen an aero-engine working in a lab.

I am not speaking of engines of drones.

In such a situation, how do you think we can have any meaningful tech transfer from GE or SAFRAN or anyone else if our engineers and scientists are not capable enough to absorb and understand that knowledge?

Excellent points. Lack of aero engineering concepts are the root cause of failure of development of Kaveri engine. Basically we are asking a 5th standard student to appear for MSc exams.

 

[RajeshN]

When France is objecting to Germany giving TOT in submarine building to India, stating that it will create new competitors in submarine building, hinting about India becoming an exporter of submarines in the future, then how can France be trusted with aero engine technology transfer?

Do not go with french as they themselves have no engine above 80 kn thrust, they will develop same on our experince and will not transfer any tech, history shows they are cheaters, americans better than french do not know the RR BUT EUROPEANS ARE IN SAME CATERGARY CHEATER

 

[kkkoul]

India is unnecessarily wasting precious time in deciding the foreign partner. It seems that by the time we decide on foreign partner and sign the contract, we may get our own kaveri engine.

 

[sujith sudhakaran]

Looking at the comments most are unhappy at the length of time it has taken to finally make a decision.

It’s very very complicated to match the specifications on the type of engine and it’s diameter, length, width, circumference, thrust, fuel, wiring, pipes, metallurgy etc and match it all within the AMCA jets specifications which hasn’t even been built yet or finalised completely.

Bro, we are talking about AMCA Mark 2, not the original AMCA. That one is fixed for F414. So, engine dimensions can have much leeway as long as it's not outrageous, since we can redesign the jet to accommodate that engine.