India is inching closer to its dream of fighter jet engines, with the government pushing agencies to expedite the process and build on the existing mechanisms available in the country. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the Safran Aircraft Engine Services India (SAESI) facility in Hyderabad. Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister highlighted that India’s aviation sector is taking a new flight. “Safran’s new facility will help establish India as a Global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Hub,” he said.
The Prime Minister underlined that this MRO facility will also create new opportunities for youth in the high-tech aerospace sector. Highlighting that French firm Safran’s global training, knowledge transfer, and partnership with Indian institutions will help create a workforce that will, in the coming years, give new momentum and direction to the entire MRO ecosystem, the Prime Minister underlined that this facility will generate numerous employment opportunities for the youth of South India. Notably, Saffron has been working in collaboration with Indian entities to develop fifth-gen fighter jet engine. With the MRO facility, India has achieved yet another milestone, reducing its dependence on external factors.
Notably, seven Indian firms have already submitted bids to collaborate with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on designing and developing prototypes of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter. From these bidders, two companies will be selected to share a funding pool of Rs 15,000 crore to build five high-standard AMCA prototypes, after which production rights will be awarded.
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Among the seven companies in contention are Larsen & Toubro, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd, and Adani Defence. The AMCA programme—estimated at approximately Rs 2 lakh crore and planned to deliver over 125 aircraft—is expected to achieve induction into the Indian Air Force no earlier than 2035. With India facing delays in the delivery of GE engines for Tejas, New Delhi is now focused towards indigenous manufacturing of the jet engines, a crucial step for the production of homegrown jets.
The inauguration of the SAESI MRO facility marks a decisive step toward strengthening India’s aerospace self-reliance, particularly in advanced fighter jet development. By enabling local support for high-end engines, building a skilled workforce, and fostering deeper technological collaboration with global leaders like Safran, the facility will directly reinforce the engine ecosystem required for the AMCA programme. As India advances toward producing its own fifth-generation stealth fighter, this operational capability in maintenance and engine technology will not only reduce external dependencies but also accelerate timelines, enhance operational readiness, and ultimately help secure the nation’s strategic ambitions in next-generation air combat.
