General Electric (GE), a world leader in military jet engines made an application in the US to jointly produce engines to be produced indigenously by India. Both US and India are now exploring Jet engine joint production for some time now, CNBC TV18 reported.

Meanwhile, Hindustan Times reported that the Joe Biden-led US administration has given a green signal to the defence company to manufacture 98 kilo-newton thrust GE-414 engines in India in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The GE-414 INS6 engine will power India's indigenous aircraft LCA (light combat aircraft) Tejas Mark 2 and the under-development twin-engine Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. Tejas Mark 2 will be rolled out by DRDO's Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) early next year and would be ready for operations by the end of 2024.

The report also said that GE-414 engine will be manufactured under terms that include 100 percent transfer of technology (ToT). The deal is likely to be sealed during the on-going visit of the high-level delegation led by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval.

Reportedly, the negotiations for 100 percent local manufacturing of GE-414 engines began when then DRDO chief Satheesh Reddy in May 2022 met US undersecretary of defence for research and engineering Heidi Shyu, and her colleague Terry Emmert, the principal deputy chief technology officer for mission capabilities.

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