India’s AMCA Engine Decision: Safran vs. Rolls-Royce Final Expected by 2025

India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program is poised for a crucial milestone: the selection of its powerplant. This decision, expected by 2025, will shape the future of India’s first indigenous stealth fighter and its aerospace industry. The engine, requiring a thrust of approximately 110kN, is the linchpin of the 5th-generation fighter jet project, which aims to rival global counterparts like the F-35 and J-20. Two aerospace heavyweights—France's Safran and the UK’s Rolls-Royce—are vying to provide this critical component.

The AMCA’s Strategic Importance

The AMCA program is central to India's ambition of achieving self-reliance in defense manufacturing while bolstering its strategic deterrence. Designed to incorporate cutting-edge technologies like stealth, supercruise capability, and advanced avionics, the AMCA will serve as a multirole fighter with the potential to dominate future battlefields.

The aircraft's engine is more than a component; it is a strategic asset. A reliable, high-thrust engine ensures not only optimal performance but also operational independence. Hence, the decision will weigh heavily on factors like technology transfer (ToT), indigenous manufacturing capability, and the potential for future upgrades.

The Engine Contenders

Safran’s Proposal

The French aerospace leader Safran has proposed co-developing a new engine core with India. The engine is expected to deliver a thrust range of 110kN to 120kN, meeting the AMCA’s performance needs.

What sets Safran apart is its offer of complete technology transfer. This includes sharing know-how related to design, manufacturing, and maintenance, enabling India to independently produce and enhance the engine over its lifecycle. Safran’s proposal aligns with India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, emphasizing self-reliance and reduced dependence on foreign suppliers.

Rolls-Royce’s Offer

The British aerospace giant Rolls-Royce brings extensive experience, particularly with its EJ200 engine that powers the Eurofighter Typhoon. Rolls-Royce has proposed co-developing the AMCA engine in India, potentially leveraging its expertise in high-thrust, fuel-efficient designs.

While Rolls-Royce is open to sharing production capabilities, it has been more cautious about offering full ToT. However, the company has suggested retaining joint intellectual property (IP) rights, which could allow India to participate in global aerospace innovation while maintaining some level of independence.

Key Considerations for India

1. Technology Transfer and Self-Reliance: Safran’s full ToT offer gives it a competitive edge, aligning closely with India’s vision of achieving defense autonomy.
2. Proven Technology vs. New Development: Rolls-Royce’s proven expertise in engines like the EJ200 ensures a lower risk profile, while Safran’s proposal involves developing a completely new core, which could be more time-intensive.
3. Partnership Dynamics: Both options involve long-term partnerships. Safran’s offer appears more favorable for indigenous capabilities, but Rolls-Royce’s global market presence could open doors for future collaboration.
4. Cost and Timelines: Developing a new engine from scratch with Safran might take longer and cost more, but it promises greater long-term benefits. Rolls-Royce’s established expertise might lead to faster deployment, albeit with less control over the technology.

The Bigger Picture

The AMCA engine decision is not just a choice between two companies but a test of India’s resolve to transition from a buyer of defense technologies to a producer. Whichever partner is selected, the decision will influence India’s geopolitical alignments, its industrial ecosystem, and its ability to project power.

The stakes are high, and the outcome will determine not just the fate of the AMCA program but also India’s aspirations to emerge as a global aerospace powerhouse.