During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing state visit to the United States, GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have reportedly signed an agreement to collaborate on the production of fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force.
This significant milestone in defense cooperation between the United States and India was announced by GE Aerospace, emphasizing the long-standing partnership between the two countries. H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GE and CEO of GE Aerospace, expressed pride in contributing to President Biden and Prime Minister Modi’s vision of closer coordination between the nations.
The agreement focuses on the possibility of manufacturing GE Aerospace’s F414 engines in India, subject to export authorization. This collaboration aligns with the Indian Air Force’s Light Combat Aircraft Mk2 program, and GE Aerospace reaffirmed its commitment to manufacturing 99 engines for the program. Additionally, the agreement positions GE Aerospace to develop various products in India, including the F404 engine used in the LCA Mk1 and LCA Mk1A aircraft.
The company has also been chosen for the prototype development, testing, and certification of the AMCA program with its F414-INS6 engine, and it intends to continue collaborating with the Indian government on the AMCA Mk2 engine program.
