Few topics have generated as much interest in recent times as the impending agreement between General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to co-manufacture jet engines in India. The US and India are in intense talks on the deal as it would involve transfer of sensitive technologies. Mint breaks down the significance of the impending deal.
- In 2010, India shortlisted the GE F414 engine to power the second variant of its light combat aircraft, the Tejas. The plan, according to some media reports, was to initially supply some engines by General Electric before co-manufacturing them in India.
- It was an especially important step for New Delhi, which has traditionally faced setbacks in its quest to build more powerful jet engines domestically. However, the technology transfer plan ran counter to strict US technology export controls.
- After this the jet engine deal was shelved for years. It returned to the public spotlight this year after India and the US announced new details of their newly unveiled Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET).
- To boost India-US defense ties, the US is committed to an early review of the jet engine deal. Since then matters have progressed rapidly. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan visited India this month, reportedly to seal the deal, which both sides expect to be announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming state visit to the US. Are.
- The deal matters for several reasons. First, it represents a significant step forward for India-US defense ties. Previous efforts to share defense technology, such as the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative, have not lived up to expectations. The GE deal, which would involve the transfer of technology to India, could mark a decisive shift from these past failures.
- Second, the deal would allow India to manufacture advanced jet engines. Very few countries like US, Russia, France, UK and China have this capability. Thus the jet engine deal will be a significant step in India’s journey to develop a domestic defense industrial base.
- The deal will also boost India’s efforts to modernize and upgrade its fighter-jet fleet. According to some reports, the GE F414 jets will be used to power fighter aircraft such as the Tejas Mark 2 and Advanced Medium Combat Fighter aircraft in the future. Given the scale and strategic value of these fighter jets, it will also be an important test for India’s defense public sector enterprises such as HAL.
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Updated: June 14, 2023, 04:23 PM IST