Strategic shift beyond US: India seeks new allies for next-gen fighter jets | India News

India is actively engaging with manufacturers from the UK, France, and Japan to co-develop fighter jet engines, broadening its defense ties beyond the US as it faces mounting security challenges and looks to shore up its indigenous aerospace capabilities, a Bloomberg report said. Senior officials told Bloomberg that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will evaluate these proposals, with the aim to start the project swiftly.

The countries in talks-UK’s Rolls-Royce, France’s Safran, and an undisclosed Japanese partner-are all offering technology transfers and potential co-production arrangements, according to people familiar with the matter. Rolls-Royce offered to jointly produce and transfer technology to India during a visit by senior defense ministry officials to the UK in April, while Safran is reportedly open to sharing intellectual property rights, the Bloomberg report said.Why it mattersIndia’s push to diversify its fighter jet engine partnerships signals a strategic rebalancing in its defense policy. For decades, India’s defense ties leaned heavily on Russian suppliers, with growing partnerships with the US in the past decade. However, India’s decision to explore new partners highlights a shift: an urgent focus on reliability, supply chain security, and technological self-sufficiency amid global uncertainties.Air Chief Marshal A P Singh warned at an industry event on Thursday that delays in acquiring critical weapons “pose a serious challenge to national defense readiness,” adding bluntly, “Not for a single project that I can think of that has been completed on time.” His remarks underscore why India is moving beyond a single-source approach, especially after penalties were imposed on General Electric for delivery delays on engines that power India’s locally-made Tejas light combat jets.The broader contextIndia’s military modernization push has been a long time coming, with delays plaguing every step of the way. Singh’s remarks-“once a timeline is given… not a single project that I can think of has been completed on time”-reflect growing impatience within India’s defense establishment.State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has faced flak for delays in delivering Tejas Mark-1A jets, forcing the government to pivot to private sector involvement to speed things up. The new execution model for the AMCA is a radical shift, designed to harness private innovation and global expertise while ending HAL’s monopoly on fighter production.The big pictureIndia’s ambition is to power its twin-engine fifth-generation fighter jets-currently under the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project-with engines co-developed or built domestically in collaboration with global partners. The AMCA program is part of India’s larger vision to modernize its aging, largely Russian-made air force fleet and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.Defense minister Rajnath Singh has approved a new “execution model” for the AMCA, which for the first time allows private sector firms to bid for the project alongside the HAL. Officials say the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which is leading the project, will soon issue an expression of interest to domestic and international players.The project’s significance is clear: China’s rapidly advancing J-20 and rumored sixth-generation jets have raised alarm bells in Delhi. Meanwhile, Pakistan is set to acquire at least 40 Chinese J-35A fifth-generation fighters. With only 30 active fighter squadrons against an authorized strength of 42, India needs to catch up-and quickly.What they are sayingMichael Rubin, a South Asia analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, described India’s drive as part of a “broader effort to secure the supply chain for critical defense equipment.” He noted that the “military lesson from Ukraine’s war has been clear: self-sufficiency and reliable partnerships are paramount.”Meanwhile, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh emphasized in his CII Business Summit remarks, “We need to quickly get our act together… while design in India continues to produce results in the near future or maybe later, what is required today is required today.”Zoom inIndia’s defense collaborations are moving from traditional vendor relationships to true joint development. Rolls-Royce, for example, offered to share cutting-edge engine technology, while Safran has expressed willingness to co-create intellectual property within India-key for India’s ambitions to be more than just an assembly hub.Japan, too, has signaled openness to deeper defense industrial ties, aligning with India’s vision of a broader Indo-Pacific security network. Defence minister Rajnath Singh held talks in May with his Japanese counterpart, exploring potential collaborations in tank and aero engine development.Between the linesThese moves do not indicate a cooling of India-US ties-joint manufacturing of GE’s F414 engines is still a cornerstone of Indo-US defense cooperation. But delays in that deal have prompted India to cast a wider net, underscoring that while Washington remains a top partner, India wants alternatives to hedge against risks.Indeed, India’s engagement with the UK, France, and Japan is about more than just hardware-it’s about building strategic resilience in the defense sector. A senior official involved in the negotiations said the goal is not to sideline US defense ties but “to ensure we have multiple options, as this is about national security.”What’s nextIndia aims to finalize the AMCA’s prototype phase by developing five aircraft before moving to series production.For the first two AMCA squadrons, India will rely on the US-made GE F414 engines. But for the remaining five squadrons-over 100 jets-it wants more powerful 110-kilonewton engines built with technology partners outside the US, according to officials.India’s broader defense transformation, its AMCA program, and its engagement with multiple global players highlight a fundamental truth: for New Delhi, defense self-reliance and resilient supply chains are no longer optional-they are non-negotiable in a rapidly changing world.(With inputs from agencies)