India-US: India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and America’s GE Aerospace signed an agreement to jointly manufacture fighter jet engines. With the approval of this deal, the strategic partnership between the two countries will be further strengthened.
This deal was agreed upon between India and the US during the state visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in June this year. Now the US Parliament has also approved the Biden government to take this deal forward. Under this deal, America had entered into an agreement with India for technology transfer, manufacturing, and licensing of jet engines.
GE Aerospace Company will transfer 80 percent of its technology to India to make F-414 fighter jet engines. The technology transfer is aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) MKII. These fighter engines will be made for ‘Tejas Mark-II’. Mark-II is an upgraded model of Tejas and is powered by a GE-F414 engine.
HAL chief CB Ananthakrishnan has described the partnership as a “big game changer” as it will lay the foundation for future indigenous engines that will power military jets. Under the deal, 99 jet engines will be made, which will be less expensive due to technology transfer. F-414 engines are renowned for their reliability and performance.
GE Aerospace, the company has been operating in India for more than four decades. After approval of this deal, the company will now get help in increasing engine manufacturing, avionics, services, engineering, manufacturing, and local sourcing.
Such a deal would also increase India’s jet production capacity. Experts say that India needs at least 756 fighter aircraft or 42 squadrons to fight a two-front war against Pakistan and China. At present, the Air Force has about 560 jets. That is, there is a huge shortage of 196 fighter planes. After this deal, India will rapidly increase the number of fighter jets.