DRDO Restarts Kaveri Engine Programme: India’s premier defence R&D organisation, DRDO, has restarted its indigenous turbofan engine programme, this time an upgraded Kaveri 2.0 variant of its jet engine programme. Indian attempts at enhancing its domestic capabilities and the rising costs and procurement delays from foreign sources have been cited as reasons for the DRDO’s latest move.
One of India’s most significant attempts at strengthening its homegrown capabilities, to compete on par with world powers. The Kaveri 2.0 engine, if developed successfully, can finally power variants of the indigenous LCA Tejas aircraft, the future combat aircraft programmes and even the Ghatak Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) developed by DRDO.
Why Is India Bringing Back The Kaveri Engine?
India’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a facility under the Defence Research and Development Organisation, had originally developed the Kaveri engine for the indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft. But due to issues such as the inability to reach the designed thrust level, weight and reliability parameters the program was terminated with the Tejas project in 2008.
Reports suggested that the price of each F414 engine was initially pegged to be around ₹70-80 crore. The developed engine generated about 72 kN of thrust, whereas the Tejas fighter is required to produce about 83–85 kN for combat readiness.
DRDO Restarts Kaveri Engine Programme
In light of the challenges to obtain engine supply from abroad, India’s renewed focus on bringing back the Kaveri programme into the scheme of things makes sense. There have been delays in the supply of the F404-IN20 engines supplied by GE Aerospace for the LCA Tejas Mk1A programme. Moreover, recent reports suggest a rise in costs for GE’s F414 engines-planned to power the Tejas Mk2 aircraft-and which are also a contender for future fighter aircraft programs.
According to the TOI report, “If successful, Kaveri 2.0 could reshape India’s aerospace industry, reduce foreign dependence and strengthen future programmes including Tejas, Ghatak and next-generation combat aircraft.”
GTRE Tells Godrej to Deliver Fully Built Kaveri Engines
What Is Kaveri 2.0 Expected to Deliver?
According to reports, the revived Kaveri 2.0 programme is intended to produce a more capable indigenous turbofan engine that can eventually replace imported powerplants in selected military platforms.
While immediate integration into frontline fighter aircraft is unlikely, the programme is expected to support future flight testing, unmanned combat aircraft and long-term indigenous fighter engine development. Analysts say the initiative could also provide valuable technological experience for India’s next-generation high-thrust engine programmes.
DRDO has previously indicated that existing Kaveri variants could first find application in unmanned combat aircraft before higher-thrust versions become available for fighter aircraft. During a test he attended, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stressed the urgency, stating: “We must assume that 20 years have already passed and that we now have only 5 to 7 years left”. This direction aims for a gradual replacement of the F404 across the Tejas fleet during the 2030s.
