India's AMCA Fighter Engine Talks Stall, Seeking French and British Alternatives

India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme faces a slowdown in negotiations with U.S. firm GE Aerospace over the F414‑INS6 engine, as price and manufacturing terms have risen sharply. Sources say the unit cost, originally estimated at ₹70‑80 crore, is now quoted at nearly three times that amount, prompting the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to explore alternative powerplants from France’s Safran and Britain’s Rolls‑Royce.

Meanwhile, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) maintains that its separate talks with GE remain on track and are not affected by the DRDO pricing dispute. HAL’s discussions focus on supply, licensed production and long‑term support for the F414, which will also power the Tejas Mk‑2 and the Twin Engine Deck‑Based Fighter (TEDBF). The AMCA prototype phase requires about 15 engines, while total demand across all three aircraft programmes could exceed 200 units.

The engine procurement is critical for India’s goal of fielding an indigenous fifth‑generation stealth fighter and reducing reliance on imported combat platforms, with the first AMCA prototype flight targeted for 2032 and deliveries expected around 2035.