India weighs new fighter‑jet engines as GE costs soar

India’s defence planners are confronting a sharp rise in the price of the U.S.‑made General Electric (GE) F414 engine, originally estimated at ₹70‑80 crore per unit and now quoted at over ₹200 crore. GE also seeks roughly $800 million to set up a dedicated assembly line in India. The cost surge and delays in supplying GE’s F404 engines for the Tejas Mk1A have already pushed the fighter’s delivery to October 2026.

Amid these pressures, India is evaluating alternatives. The Eurojet EJ200, used on the Eurofighter Typhoon and backed by Britain’s Rolls‑Royce, could be integrated into the AMCA Mk2 with thrust targets of 110‑130 kN. French Safran and Rolls‑Royce have also offered to develop a new engine for the AMCA Mk2, promising full technology transfer and intellectual‑property rights to India. The proposed joint venture would cost about $7 billion, span 10‑12 years and aim to produce nine prototype engines, involving Indian private firms such as Tata, L & T and Adani Defence. These options are seen as ways to diversify supply, reduce reliance on a single foreign vendor, and maintain the timetable for India’s next‑generation fighter programs.