Indian Defence GE Aerospace and HAL sign deal to make fighter jet engines for Indian Air Force amid PM Modi’s landmark US visit
Washington: Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to the United States, GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have signed an agreement to collaborate on the production of fighter jet engines for the Indian Air Force, media reports said.
This agreement, deemed a major milestone, was announced by GE Aerospace, highlighting its role in enhancing defence cooperation between the United States and India, reported India Today.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in New York on Tuesday for a rare three-day state visit to the US, during which he is set to address the joint session of the US Congress and dine with President Biden. He has interacted with Nobel laureates, economists, artists, scientists, scholars, entrepreneurs, academics, and experts from the health sector. The purpose of these interactions, according to sources, is for the Prime Minister to gain insights into the developments in the United States and explore potential collaborations.
“This is a historic agreement made possible by our longstanding partnership with India and HAL,” said H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GE and CEO of GE Aerospace, according to the report.
“We are proud to play a role in advancing President Biden and Prime Minister Modi’s vision of closer coordination between the two nations. Our F414 engines are unmatched and will offer important economic and national security benefits for both countries as we help our customers produce the highest quality engines to meet the needs of their military fleet,” he added.
As per the US aerospace company, the agreement entails the possibility of jointly manufacturing GE Aerospace's F414 engines in India.
The company has stated that it is actively partnering with the US government to secure the required export authorisation for the agreement.
This endeavour is part of the Indian Air Force's Light Combat Aircraft Mk2 program.
The US aerospace company said that the agreement would further its previous commitment to manufacturing 99 engines for the Indian Air Force under the LCA Mk2 program.
This MoU positions the aerospace giant favourably to develop a range of products in India, which includes the F404 engine currently utilized by the LCA Mk1 and LCA Mk1A aircraft.
GE Aerospace has been also selected for the prototype development, testing, and certification of the AMCA program with its F414-INS6 engine.
The company expressed its intention to maintain collaboration with the Indian government on the AMCA Mk2 engine program.
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