India is finalising a $1 billion agreement with U.S. aerospace major General Electric (GE) for the supply of 113 F404-IN20 fighter jet engines, which will power the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS MK-1A.
HAL & GE May Ink Deal For 113 More Jet Engines
India is finalising a $1 billion agreement with U.S. aerospace major General Electric (GE) for the supply of 113 F404-IN20 fighter jet engines, which will power the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS MK-1A. The new GE-404 engine deal will ensure steady supply to HAL which had earlier signed a contract for 99 engines for the first 83 TEJAS jets ordered by the Indian Air Force. With this follow-on order, HAL is expected to receive a total of 212 GE-404 engines. The deal, currently in advanced negotiation stages between GE and HAL is expected to be signed by next month. This comes in the wake of the CCS clearing the acquisition of 97 additional TEJAS MK-1A fighters earlier in August, at a cost of ₹66,000 crore, adding to the 83 aircraft ordered previously.
To support these production requirements, HAL had earlier signed a $716 million agreement in 2021 with GE for 99 F404 engines, deliveries for which are underway after initial supply chain hurdles. HAL is also negotiating with GE for the joint production of the GE-414 engines in India for the more advanced LCA Mk-2 programme. The deal will involve an 80% transfer of technology and is estimated to be worth around $1 billion.
In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong case for building jet engines in the country, underlining the need for self-reliance in India’s efforts towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
