New Delhi, 07 June (Hindustan Times). The US government has given green signal to Transfer of Technology (TOT) of GE engine manufacturing in India, which could benefit around 500-600 Indian small scale industries. Now after this American company General Electric (GE) will contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture engines in India. The historic defense deal to transfer jet engine manufacturing technology to India is likely to be announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 21-24 visit with US President Biden.
General Electric’s (GE) plan to manufacture fighter jet engines in India has been being finalized for several months. The multi-billion dollar deal advanced during the visit of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to India as the US government cleared the transfer of technology (TOT) of manufacturing GE engines in India. GE will partner with HAL to produce jet engines in India, which is being finalized ahead of PM Modi’s visit. Experts say that 600 MSMEs can be benefited from this agreement.
US Defense Secretary Austin Lloyd visited India on June 5-6 and held a bilateral meeting with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh at the Manekshaw Center in the national capital. The Austin visit primarily focused on continuing efforts to advance new Indo-US defense innovation, industrial cooperation initiatives, and expand operational cooperation between the US and Indian militaries. This visit of the US Defense Secretary is also important because Prime Minister Modi’s US state visit is proposed next month. After getting the green signal from the US government, the fighter jet engine deal is likely to be announced during Prime Minister Modi’s state visit to the US.
In fact, GE Aerospace, an Ohio-based subsidiary of GE, has been in discussions with India for more than a year over a plan to develop technology to make fighter jet engines in India. In January this year, the White House received an application from GE to jointly manufacture engines in India. India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his American counterpart Jake Sullivan have held the first round of talks in Washington DC. GE’s F-414 jet engines are manufactured to power the indigenous fighter Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark-II under the ‘Atmanirbhar Yojana’ of the Government of India. The LCA Mark-1 is powered by the GE company’s F-404 engine.
Now the F-414 jet engines made with GE in India are planned to be used in the fifth generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) in addition to the LCA Mark-2. Along with this, it is also being considered to develop 114 multirole fighter jets in collaboration with foreign manufacturers. US is also ready for full transfer of jet engine technology with India. This was announced by US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall during his visit to India in March this year during his meeting with NSA Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Now with the announcement of the fighter jet engine deal, the way for AMCA will be cleared.
