NEW DELHI – India is close to signing a major defense contract with U.S. aerospace firm General Electric (GE) for fighter jet engines, a move set to bolster the country’s indigenous combat aircraft program.

According to officials familiar with the matter, negotiations are in the final stages for the purchase of 113 GE-404 engines valued at around $1 billion. These engines will power Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Light Combat Aircraft Mark 1A fleet.

The deal, expected to be concluded by September, comes on top of an earlier agreement for 99 GE-404 engines, bringing HAL’s total requirement of 212 engines close to fulfillment and reducing risks of supply delays.

In parallel, HAL is pursuing a separate and more strategic agreement with GE for the GE-414 engine, which will power the next-generation LCA Mark 2 and prototypes of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Valued at $1.5 billion, this deal is expected to feature an 80% transfer of technology, aligning with India’s broader push for defense self-reliance.

The GE-414 engines are earmarked for 162 LCA Mark 2 fighters and 10 AMCA prototypes, programs critical to replacing the Indian Air Force’s ageing MiG-21 fleet.

In addition to the GE partnerships, India is working with French aerospace company Safran to co-develop a fully indigenous fighter jet engine, signaling a multipronged approach to securing advanced propulsion technology.

Defense analysts say the deals mark one of India’s most significant aviation procurements in recent years, underscoring its dual strategy of building domestic capacity while leveraging foreign partnerships. (ANI)