According to senior sources, India’s deliberations on a future indigenous jet engine programme are increasingly tilting in favour of the French engine manufacturer, which is viewed as technically comparable to leading Anglo-American firms in both design capability and execution record. Officials indicate that this preference stems less from historical ties and more from the scale of technology access and industrial participation being proposed.
Central to the French offer is a commitment to a 100 percent transfer of intellectual property. This would involve the complete sharing of engine design data, production processes, advanced materials expertise, and testing protocols with Indian partners. For India, such comprehensive access represents a significant break from earlier engine collaborations, where restricted technology transfer limited domestic capability and upgrade flexibility.
Equally important is France’s readiness to engage in substantive co-development. Those familiar with the discussions stress that the arrangement is envisioned as a genuine partnership, with a major share of detailed design work, manufacturing engineering, validation testing, and future enhancements carried out in India. By anchoring the bulk of activities domestically, the programme aims to cultivate specialised talent, strengthen the vendor base, and establish infrastructure capable of supporting future propulsion initiatives beyond a single engine project.
A senior official stated that once development stabilises, full-scale manufacturing will take place entirely in India. No engine hardware would be imported from France, whose role would be confined to technical guidance and advisory support during development and early production. This structure is designed to give India complete control over output rates, configuration changes, and long-term maintenance, thereby reducing vulnerability to external supply chain or geopolitical risks.
Given the programme’s strategic significance, it is expected to be overseen from the outset by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Defence Minister. Such top-level supervision is intended to minimise bureaucratic bottlenecks and maintain momentum across administrative and political transitions—challenges that have historically hindered complex aerospace projects.
In addition, the initiative is likely to receive special financial approval from the Finance Minister and be funded outside the conventional defence budget. This ring-fenced funding model would protect the project from annual budget pressures and competing procurement priorities, ensuring sustained financial backing for what is inherently a high-risk, long-duration development effort.
If realised as planned, the programme could mark a turning point in India’s aero-engine journey. With full IP ownership, domestic production, and enduring political and fiscal support, India may finally bridge a longstanding gap in its aerospace ecosystem—achieving genuine self-reliance in advanced jet engine technology.
