US, India to Seal Groundbreaking Jet Engine Deal During PM Modi’s State Visit

The Biden administration is set to sign a deal that would allow General Electric Co. to produce the jet engines that power Indian military aircraft in that country, three people briefed on the decision said.

A deal to finalize joint production of the engines is expected to be signed and announced on June 22 for an official state visit by President Joe Biden to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the people said on condition of anonymity. . made public.

The White House, which said in January that it had received an application to jointly manufacture the engines in India, declined to comment. GE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Washington has been working to deepen ties with the world’s largest democracy and sees deeper military-to-military and technology ties with the South Asian country as an important counterweight to China’s dominance in the region.

India, the world’s biggest arms importer, relies on Russia for nearly half its military supplies, and has bought fighter jets, tanks, nuclear submarines and an aircraft carrier over the decades.

New Delhi has frustrated Washington by participating in military exercises with Russia and increasing purchases of the country’s crude, a key source of funding for Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) previously stated that it planned to use GE-built 414 engines on a second generation of light-fighter aircraft and was in talks to domestically produce those engines. .

The deal has not been finalized and also requires notification to the US Congress, according to two people with knowledge of the arrangement.

Washington maintains tight controls on what domestic military technology can be shared or sold to other countries.

A comprehensive joint partnership between the United States and India announced earlier this year is designed to encourage companies from both countries to collaborate specifically on military equipment and cutting-edge technology.

While GE has offered some transfer of technology to HAL, which will produce the engines as a licensed manufacturer, India is pushing for more technology sharing, according to one of the people with knowledge of the talks.

India is keen to acquire the technology to manufacture aircraft engines. While it can manufacture fighter jets domestically, it does not have the capability to manufacture the engines to power them.

HAL is using a lightweight GE engine for the 83 light fighter aircraft it is building for the Indian Air Force. However, India intends to produce over 350 fighter jets for its air force and navy over the next two decades, which could be powered by the GE 414.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – reuters,