AMCA will get a new engine — and a new chance
India is taking a decisive step towards its own fifth-generation fighter jet. According to sources, the country is preparing to launch a large-scale partnership with France for the joint development and production of a jet engine for Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The project is estimated at $7 billion and will be one of the most ambitious in the history of the Indian defense industry.
So far, AMCA has been in the shadows — a good plan, but the main thing was missing: an engine that could provide supersonic sound without afterburners, low visibility and sufficient thrust. Now, it seems, this gap will begin to close.
Why France, and not your own?
India has been trying to create its own engine for a long time, for example, the Kaveri project. But technologies of this level stubbornly resist. An engine is not just metal and blades. These are materials that keep the temperature above the melting point of steel, these are control, cooling, and reliability systems. All this requires decades of experience.
France, through Safran, offers this experience. They already have developments on engines for the Rafale, and now they are working on a power plant for their own sixth-generation fighter. This is exactly the level that India is still far from reaching. Instead of treading on the same rake for years, it is more logical to take the hand of someone who has already walked the path.
Safran and DRDO: how the union works
The project is based on a deep division of labor. Safran, as the leader, will take over the key technologies: compressors, combustion chamber, control system. DRDO and Indian companies — production, localization, assembly, and in the future — modernization and development.
It is important that we are not talking about buying a ready-made engine, but about joint development. This means that India will have access to know-how, will be able to adapt the engine to its needs and enter its own production in the future. This is not a footboard, but a ladder.
More than an engine: a strategy for independence
India has a long—standing dream to stop depending on arms purchases. Today, it is one of the largest importers: Russian fighter jets, Israeli radars, and American helicopters. This is not only expensive, but also dangerous — when the policy changes, supplies can freeze.
Creating an AMCA with a collaborative engine is an attempt to break out of this addiction. Yes, first with the help of France. But the goal is that in 15-20 years, the next generation of fighter jets will be completely made in India. And this engine will become the foundation.
What does this mean for the balance of power in the region
The new engine and AMCA are not just a fleet upgrade. This is a signal to China and Pakistan that India will not just buy protection, but will create it itself. A successful fifth-generation fighter will change the balance in South Asia.
In addition, the partnership with France is another step towards a multipolar strategy. New Delhi is not tied to any block, but is strengthening ties with those who are willing to share technology. Paris, in turn, gets a powerful ally in Asia — and a market with huge potential.
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