You have 5-7 years to develop 6th gen aero engines: Rajnath’s challenge for DRDO scientists

NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday set a deadline of 5-7 years for DRDO scientists to develop the 6th generation aero engine for fighter aircraft.

Describing aero engine development as a complex integration of thermodynamics, materials science, fluid mechanics and advanced mechanical engineering, Rajnath said even advanced countries take 25 to 30 years to develop next-generation engines. Urging Indian scientists to compress timelines in view of strategic requirements, the minister said, “We must assume that 20 years have already passed and we now have only 5–7 years left.”


The minister said this while visiting DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in Bengaluru and also witnessed the full afterburner engine test of the Kaveri engine, a much-delayed indigenous project that is being developed for the advanced fighter jets.

Rajnath said, “We are rapidly moving towards the design and development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). We have made numerous attempts in the past to achieve expertise in the field of aero engines. Now, the time has come to complete those efforts. We cannot limit ourselves to only 5th generation engines. We must begin the development of the 6th generation. Research on them is the need of the hour. The use of AI, machine learning and new materials is increasing. We must stay ahead of the curve.”

Recently, three consortia — Tata, L&T (with BEL & Dynamatic Technologies) and Bharat Forge (with BEML & Data Patterns)— have reportedly been shortlisted for the AMCA project. The final partner will work with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to build five AMCA prototypes by 2031 with the ministry’s initial allocation of Rs 15,000-crore.

Rajnath described DRDO as the foundation of India’s strategic capability and stressed the need to achieve Aatmanirbharta in aero engine technology. “Supply chains are breaking and new ecosystems are developing. Nations possessing indigenous critical technologies will remain safe, secure and sustain themselves,” he said. The minister also launched the mountain fire control radar and flagged off the improved Akash weapon system from Bharat Electronics Ltd in Bengaluru.

On Tuesday, the defence minister and his French minister of defence Catherine Vautrin, who is arriving in Bengaluru early Tuesday for the “India France Annual Bilateral Dailogue”, will inaugurate the Tata Advanced Systems’ final assembly line for the Airbus H125 helicopter in Kolar.

He also welcomed joint studies with the UK and France under the National Aero Engine Mission, stating that such partnerships would help India understand technological challenges while building domestic capability.

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