SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
A high-level Indian delegation, led by Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and His Excellency Vikram Doraiswami, High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom, visited the Rolls-Royce facility in Bristol as part of the ongoing India-UK defence industry engagement. Accompanied by senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and industry representatives, the delegation explored Rolls-Royce’s advanced capabilities in aero engines, marine propulsion systems, and niche technologies.
The visit has sparked speculation about potential collaboration on India’s ambitious Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, signaling a deepening strategic partnership between New Delhi and London.
The visit underscores the strengthening defence ties between India and the United Kingdom, formalized through the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the 2030 Roadmap, which prioritize defence and technology cooperation. With India aiming to bolster its indigenous defence capabilities under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the engagement with Rolls-Royce, a global leader in aerospace propulsion, aligns with New Delhi’s goal of developing cutting-edge systems like the AMCA—a fifth-generation stealth fighter designed to enhance the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) air superiority by the 2030s.
The AMCA, spearheaded by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), requires a high-performance engine to meet its stringent requirements for stealth, supercruise, and thrust-to-weight ratio. India’s current reliance on foreign engines, such as the General Electric F414 for the Tejas Mk-II, highlights the need for a domestic or co-developed powerplant. Rolls-Royce, with its expertise in advanced jet engines like the EJ200 (used in the Eurofighter Typhoon) and its role in the UK’s sixth-generation Tempest program, emerges as a potential partner for this critical component.
The delegation’s tour of the Bristol facility provided a firsthand look at Rolls-Royce’s state-of-the-art technologies, including:
- Aero Engines: Rolls-Royce showcased its advanced turbofan engines, emphasizing high-thrust, fuel-efficient designs optimized for stealth and performance. The company’s work on adaptive cycle engines, which offer variable thrust and improved thermal efficiency, aligns with the AMCA’s need for a 110–130 kN thrust engine to enable supercruise and enhanced maneuverability.
- Marine Propulsion Systems: The visit also explored Rolls-Royce’s naval propulsion technologies, such as gas turbines and integrated electric propulsion, which could support India’s indigenous aircraft carrier and destroyer programs, including the Next Generation Destroyer (NGD).
- Niche Technologies: Discussions highlighted Rolls-Royce’s advancements in additive manufacturing, AI-driven maintenance systems, and sustainable aviation technologies, such as hydrogen-based propulsion, which could have dual-use applications in India’s defence and civilian aerospace sectors.
The talks focused on fostering industrial partnerships, co-developing technologies, and integrating Indian firms into Rolls-Royce’s global supply chain. Both sides expressed a shared commitment to leveraging their complementary strengths—India’s growing defence industrial base and Rolls-Royce’s technological expertise—to drive innovation and mutual economic benefits.
The visit has fueled speculation that Rolls-Royce could play a pivotal role in the AMCA program, particularly in addressing the engine bottleneck. The AMCA’s initial prototypes are planned to use the GE F414 engine (98 kN thrust), but the final production variant requires a more powerful engine to meet fifth-generation requirements. India has been exploring partnerships to co-develop a 110–130 kN engine, with earlier discussions involving France’s Safran and the UK’s Rolls-Royce.
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