India’s ambitious defence programmes like Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) – Tejas face a major hurdle due to the lack of indigenous aircraft engine capabilities.

Why Indigenous Engine Development is Crucial?

• Foundation for Aerospace Autonomy: Developing indigenous jet engines is key to achieving strategic self-reliance and reducing dependency on foreign suppliers in critical defence technology.

• Production Delays from Imports: Reliance on imported engines, like the GE F404, has led to significant delays in fighter jet production (e.g., LCA Mk1A), undermining military preparedness.
• Export Constraints: Foreign engines restrict India’s ability to export indigenous platforms, as third-party approvals are needed — limiting defence trade potential.

• Military Effectiveness at Risk: Imported propulsion systems often fail to meet desired performance levels, affecting payload capacity, agility, and mission capabilities — as seen with the HF-24 Marut and Tejas Mk1.
• Strategic Vulnerability: Without indigenous engine technology, India’s defence capabilities remain exposed to global geopolitical shifts, supply chain disruptions, and vendor leverage.

Challenges in Developing Indigenous Engines

• Fragmented Funding: Defence spending is often short-term and scattered, lacking a long-term strategy for engine development.
• Poor Industry-Academia Collaboration: Limited partnership between defence R&D, private companies, and universities slows innovation.
• Technology Gaps: India still lacks access to key technologies like high-temperature materials and advanced cooling systems.
• Institutional Hurdles: Bureaucratic delays, poor coordination between agencies, and limited openness to foreign partnerships create roadblocks.
• Dependence on Foreign Tech: Restricted access to proprietary technology from global engine manufacturers hinders progress toward self-reliance.

Recommendations

Need for Long-term Vision: Achieving engine self-sufficiency requires not just technical capacity, but sustained political will, structural reforms, and synergy between the private sector, academia, and defence R&D institutions.

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