Safran–ADA Deal: The Engine That Could Power India’s AMCA Fighter Jet

Manoj Ambat, Editor in Chief, Strategic Vanguard
Aug 27
5 min read

India’s quest for a truly indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), has long faced one critical hurdle: the engine. While India has mastered missile systems, satellites, nuclear submarines, and even aircraft design, it has consistently stumbled when it comes to developing world-class jet engines.

For decades, India’s Kaveri engine project struggled to achieve the necessary thrust and reliability. As a result, India’s Tejas fighter jets had to depend on imported American engines from General Electric (GE). For the AMCA, which requires advanced capabilities like stealth, supercruise, and higher thrust-to-weight ratios, this dependence was a major vulnerability.

But now, a landmark deal between India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and French aerospace giant Safran could finally provide the breakthrough India needs. This collaboration aims to jointly develop a powerful 110–125 kN thrust-class turbofan engine for the AMCA, potentially placing India among the elite club of nations with independent fighter jet engine technology.

In this article, we will explore the background, technical details, strategic significance, challenges, and future outlook of the Safran–ADA deal and what it means for India’s aerospace ambitions.

India’s Struggle with Fighter Jet Engines

India’s journey with indigenous jet engine development has been long and frustrating.

The Kaveri Program

Initiated in the 1980s, the Kaveri engine project was supposed to produce a 90 kN thrust class turbofan for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
Despite decades of effort, the Kaveri engine fell short in thrust, reliability, and high-altitude performance.
Ultimately, the Tejas had to be fitted with imported GE F404 engines, and later, the Tejas Mk2 and AMCA prototypes were planned with GE F414 engines.

Strategic Dependence on Foreign Engines

Relying on imported engines created vulnerabilities. In a crisis, if the supplier nation withheld spares or technology, India’s fighter fleet could be grounded.
Nations like the US, Russia, and the UK have always guarded jet engine technology as one of their most closely held secrets, often even more tightly than nuclear technology.

This dependency posed a strategic risk to India’s defense modernization plans.

Why the Engine is Critical for AMCA

The AMCA is not just another aircraft—it represents India’s leap into the fifth generation of combat aviation.

Key Requirements for AMCA’s Engine:

Supercruise – The ability to fly at supersonic speeds without using afterburners.
High thrust-to-weight ratio – At least 1.1, necessary for advanced maneuverability.
Low thermal signature – Essential for stealth and survivability.
Reliability and durability – To withstand long deployments and combat missions.

The GE F414 engines can power the prototypes, but the production AMCA requires an indigenous 110–125 kN thrust class engine. Without this, the AMCA risks being underpowered and failing to match global competitors like the F-35 Lightning II, J-20 Mighty Dragon, or Su-57 Felon.

The Safran–ADA Deal Explained

The Safran–ADA partnership is a significant breakthrough in India’s aerospace journey.

Key Features of the Deal:

New Engine Development: A 110–125 kN thrust turbofan specifically designed for AMCA.
Cost-Sharing Model: India and France will likely split R&D expenses.
Technology Transfer: Safran is expected to share critical technologies in turbine blade design, hot-section metallurgy, and combustor systems.
Manufacturing in India: Production lines will be set up in India, boosting the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Why Safran?

Safran, the French aerospace major, is best known for the M88 engine that powers the Rafale fighter jet. While the M88 produces around 75–90 kN thrust, Safran has the expertise to scale up to the 110–125 kN class engine needed for AMCA.

More importantly, France has been more willing to share sensitive technology compared to the US, UK, or Russia. The Indo-French defense partnership, already strong with the Rafale fighter deal and Scorpene submarines, gains a new dimension with this engine collaboration.

Strategic Importance of the Safran–ADA Engine

This deal carries immense strategic weight for India’s defense posture.

Ending Dependency

An indigenous engine reduces India’s reliance on the US or Russia, giving India greater freedom in defense decisions.

Boosting Atmanirbhar Bharat

Developing a world-class engine indigenously strengthens India’s defense ecosystem and opens doors for spinoffs in UAVs, UCAVs, and transport aircraft.

Enhancing Export Potential

With its own engine, India can market fighter jets and drones without foreign clearance issues, boosting its defense exports.

Geopolitical Leverage

By deepening defense ties with France, India balances its strategic partnerships with the US and Russia, while strengthening its role in the Indo-Pacific.

Challenges Ahead

While the Safran–ADA deal is promising, developing a jet engine is among the most complex feats of engineering.

Key Challenges:

Timeline Pressure: Can the engine be ready by the AMCA’s expected induction in the 2030s?
Material Science: Mastery of single-crystal turbine blades and ceramic matrix composites is essential.
High Costs: Development may cost several billion dollars.
Past Failures: The memory of the Kaveri program’s shortcomings raises questions about execution.

If these challenges are not overcome, India risks repeating past mistakes and delaying AMCA’s entry into service.

Global Context: The Jet Engine Club

Developing a world-class fighter engine is an achievement reserved for a select few nations.

USA: Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine powers the F-35, delivering ~191 kN thrust with unmatched reliability.
China: Struggles with WS-10 and WS-15 engines for the J-20, facing issues with durability and thrust.
Russia: Produces the AL-41 and Izdeliye-30 engines for Su-57, but not optimized for stealth.
France/Europe: The M88 engine for Rafale is reliable but lower thrust compared to AMCA’s requirements.

If successful, the Safran–ADA engine would put India in an elite club of nations with cutting-edge fighter jet engine technology—something even China continues to struggle with.

Future Outlook

If the Safran–ADA engine program succeeds, it could reshape India’s aerospace future:

AMCA Mk2: Powered by an indigenous Indo-French engine, enabling full stealth and supercruise.
UCAVs and Loyal Wingman Drones: Spinoff engines for advanced unmanned systems like CATS Warrior.
Transport Aircraft: Scaled versions for regional transport planes.
Defense Exports: India could supply next-gen aircraft to Africa, ASEAN, and the Middle East.

This deal represents more than an engine—it is India’s chance to leapfrog into the next era of aerospace power.

Conclusion

The Safran–ADA deal could be remembered as a turning point in India’s defense history. For decades, the Kaveri engine symbolized India’s struggles with jet engine technology. Today, this collaboration with Safran could symbolize India’s rise as an independent aerospace power.

The AMCA project, powered by this new engine, will not just be a fighter—it will be a statement of India’s self-reliance, technological maturity, and strategic ambition.

But the road is not easy. Challenges remain—material science, cost, and execution. The question is simple yet profound: will India finally crack the engine code, or will history repeat itself?

Only time will tell. But one thing is clear: with Safran and ADA working together, India’s chances of success have never looked stronger.

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