SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Baba Kalyani, the Chairman and Managing Director of Kalyani Group, a prominent Indian conglomerate with a strong presence in defence manufacturing, has highlighted a critical gap in India’s aerospace capabilities: mastering the hot core section of jet engines. In a recent interview, Kalyani emphasized the need for private sector companies to unite in a collaborative effort to co-develop a 110kN thrust engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, viewing it as a stepping stone to achieving self-reliance in advanced jet engine technology.
The hot core section—comprising the compressor, combustion chamber, and turbine—is the heart of a jet engine, where extreme temperatures and pressures are managed to generate thrust. Kalyani noted that while India has made significant strides in defence manufacturing, this critical technology remains elusive, largely due to its complexity and the proprietary nature of its development by global leaders like General Electric, Rolls-Royce, and Safran. “India is yet to master the hot core section of the jet engine,” he said, underscoring the urgency of bridging this gap to support indigenous fighter jet programs like the AMCA.
Kalyani’s vision centres on a consortium of private sector companies pooling their expertise and resources to tackle the technological challenges of the 110kN engine, which is intended to power the fifth-generation AMCA stealth fighter. The AMCA, being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), requires an engine with significantly higher thrust than the 98kN GE F414 currently used in the Tejas MkII, necessitating a leap in domestic capabilities.
He argued that such collaboration would serve a dual purpose: enabling companies to learn and integrate the intricate technologies of the hot core section while positioning India’s private sector as a key player in the global supply chain for jet engines. “If many private sector companies come together, the 110kN engine development can become a learning platform,” Kalyani said. “This will not only help us supply components but also empower us to produce future engines without requiring external help.”
Companies like Godrej Aerospace, Mahindra Aerospace, and Tata Advanced Systems, already involved in aero-component manufacturing, could join forces with Kalyani Group and others to form a robust consortium. Such a collaboration could also benefit from technology transfer agreements with foreign partners, as seen in past deals with Safran while ensuring that Indian firms retain intellectual property and production rights.
“Once we crack this, we won’t just be a supply chain for engines—we’ll be building them from scratch,” Kalyani asserted. This ambition aligns with India’s goal of becoming a defence export hub, reducing the $5-6 billion spent annually on foreign engine imports and positioning firms to compete globally.
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