SOURCE: IDRW.ORG


Anshuman Tripathi, a former adviser to the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) and an international consultant in aerospace and defense, has urged India to adopt contemporary strategies to develop the 120kN engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Speaking at a recent panel discussion, Tripathi emphasized the need to hire global talent and acquire existing technologies to shrink development timelines, drawing lessons from global examples and India’s own challenges.
Tripathi began with a poignant case study of Nokia, once a mobile phone giant that lost its edge to Apple’s iPhone. Quoting Nokia’s last CEO, Stephen Elop, who tearfully said, “We didn’t do anything wrong, but somehow we lost,” Tripathi drew parallels to India’s jet engine program. Despite earnest efforts by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) and others, India still lacks a viable indigenous jet engine. “Everybody put in their best, but we don’t have what we need,” he said, urging a shift in approach.
Tripathi highlighted how modern nations acquire advanced technologies, citing China’s development of its stealth fighter, the J-20, as a prime example. Contrary to expectations of government-to-government (G2G) deals or technology transfers, China hired Nosher Gawadia, a Mumbai-born Parsi engineer who had worked on U.S. stealth programs. Gawadia’s expertise enabled China to develop its stealth technology, demonstrating the power of talent acquisition. “China didn’t rely on reverse engineering alone; they hired the right person and gave him resources,” Tripathi noted.
He contrasted this with India’s historical success with the Marut aircraft, developed with the help of German engineer Kurt Tank, and called for a similar approach today. “We need to bring in talent, including Indian-origin experts abroad who have worked on programs like the F-35 and are willing to contribute to their homeland,” he said.
Tripathi pointed to a missed opportunity during the 2021-2022 pandemic when ATP Aero, a Spanish company with a Eurofighter Typhoon manufacturing facility, was sold to Bain Private Equity for $1.5 billion. This facility, capable of producing jet engines and other aerospace components, could have been a game-changer for India. “We didn’t even bid,” he lamented, noting that India lacks private equity entities or infrastructure to pursue such acquisitions. He urged the creation of a private equity framework to buy technologies—not just for jet engines but for broader industrial applications.
Tripathi acknowledged GTRE and DRDO’s struggles with talent retention, as skilled professionals move to the private sector. He proposed a framework to attract global experts, including Indian diaspora, to work with GTRE and private industry. “If someone who worked on a major U.S. program wants to contribute to India for free, we need systems to enable that,” he said, stressing the need for a two-way talent flow.
Responding to a question about Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) inability to produce jet engines despite 15 years of effort, Tripathi was clear: “HAL wasn’t given 100% support.” He referenced a past DRDO study on reverse-engineering the AL-31FP engine and urged the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to review its outcomes. Key questions remain: Will the indigenized AL-31FP meet the Air Force’s needs? Can it be used on other platforms? Does it have export potential? Tripathi stressed that the armed forces must be involved in such studies to ensure alignment with operational requirements.
Quoting Admiral Arun Prakash’s 2019 critique of the Kaveri engine program, Tripathi highlighted three factors that hindered progress: DRDO’s overestimation of its capabilities, reluctance to seek external advice, and exclusion of military users from the project. These lessons, he argued, must guide future efforts.
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