GE Aerospace Advances F414 Coproduction, F404 Maintenance in India

In New Delhi on April 13, GE Aerospace announced two key developments in its long-standing partnership with Indian defense entities: significant progress toward coproducing F414 jet engines with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and a contract to establish a domestic maintenance facility for F404-IN20 engines powering the Indian Air Force's Tejas light combat aircraft fleet.

The F414 coproduction agreement builds on a memorandum signed nearly three years ago between GE Aerospace and HAL, aimed at manufacturing the engines in India to equip future combat jets, including the Tejas Mk2 and initial variants of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. Company officials stated that technical discussions have concluded, reaching agreement on key matters and advancing to commercial negotiations. The deal represents a milestone in technology transfer, enabling domestic production of a critical frontline engine and supporting India's push for self-reliance in defense manufacturing. Production lines are expected to become operational within two years of finalizing the contract, with potential demand for 170 to 180 engines in the near term.

Separately, the maintenance facility for F404-IN20 engines...