Engine trouble: Why European engine firms are making a beeline to India
India Today – Top Stories
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Summary
Nearly two decades ago, India began buying over $20 billion worth of defence hardware from the US— transport aircraft, helicopters and naval patrol aircraft. India’s first indigenous jet fighter, the HF-24 Marut relied on a chronically underpowered Rolls-Royce engine. An indigenous jet engine program was never successfully pursued— jet engines remained India’s Achilles heel. A fourth engine-making country entered India’s imported engine club a few yeas ago, when Indian opted for US engines to power the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. Over a decade ago, India’s defence establishment found the Kaveri engine to be underpowered. This dependence means the US for the first time has leverage over India’s fighter jets. But there is also the view that India’s US engine commitment has led to what is known in Indian politics as the ‘TINA factor’— There Is No Alternative. Last year, India decided to break with the US for developing fifth generation fighter aircraft engines. A deal clincher was the fact that India would own the intellectual property for the power plant. Saurav Jha, CEO of D-Propulse, an Indian defence start up making rotating detonation engines (RDE).
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Engine trouble Why European engine firms are making a beeline to India
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