Rajnath asks US counterpart to fast-track delivery of engines needed for Tejas fighter jets

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asked his US counterpart Pete Hegseth to fast-track the delivery of the GE F404 engines needed for the Tejas Mark1-A fighter jets.

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The delay in the supply of F404 engines has set back the delivery schedule of the jet. Public sector giant Hindustan Aeronautics is making 83 planes for the Indian Air Force. Deliveries were to start in March last year.

Rajnath also urged the US to fast-track the signing of an agreement for the joint production of F414 engines between GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The F414 is the higher-powered engine that India plans to use in the Tejas Mark2 jets and the initial version of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

The F-414 joint production was announced almost two years ago and the GE and HAL have worked out an agreement on the process and pace of technology transfer to India.  

Rajnath raised both issues during his conversation with Hegseth, sources told the Tribune.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence said Rajnath and Hegseth had a telephonic conversation on Tuesday and discussed widening of the defence ties between the two countries and expanding of defence industrial collaboration.

The Ministry of Defence gave out details of the conversation saying the two leaders agreed to further build upon the momentum of this “critical and mutually beneficial” partnership. The MoD listed out possible expansion in “interoperability (of forces), integration of defence industrial supply chains, logistics sharing, increased joint military exercises and cooperation with other like-minded partners”.

Rajnath and Hegseth discussed a wide canvas of issues ranging from long-term cooperation in the defence sector, including training and military exchanges, to expanding the industry collaboration.

The minister said the US Secretary of Defence has shown dynamic leadership which has propelled defence cooperation between the US and India to new levels.

Hegseth invited Rajnath to the US for an in-person meeting to take the bilateral defence partnership forward.

This was their third telephonic conversation since January this year when Hegseth was confirmed as US Secretary of Defence.