Public sentiment is predominantly negative regarding the India-US fighter jet engine deal, with significant skepticism about the reliability and trustworthiness of American partnerships. Commenters express concerns over dependency on foreign technology, particularly from the US, and advocate for fostering India's own defense manufacturing capabilities. While some see positive moves towards modernization and strategic autonomy, many remain critical of past experiences and highlight the benefits of collaborations with countries like France.

India

United States

France

Abit sad for rolls Royce, they were the first ones who promised 100% tech transfer as well. I think india got cold feet coz of USA tariffs and UK being tilted towards USA might break the contract.

Also indians trust France since their equipment is always good and their foreign policy towards India is always favourable

vvrr00

Oh now it's official, someone linked at one point on a similar post that was not fully confirmed on this topic that rolls royce was reaffirming commmitment to this project after those rumors but it seems like Safran will be eating good.

SraminiElMejorBeaver

I hope UK takes some lessons from this and try to formulate their own foreign policy which is independent of US influence.

CrimeMasterGogoChan

I think rolls Royce was offering more for the price but India went with france due to a worsening relationship with usa.

Downtown-Teach8367

110 Kn is surprisingly weak engines.  Almost 30% less than used on F-22s.  Amca will need to be light or be somewhat underpowered .

CapableCollar

Trusting India is a bad idea they do not share western values.

Suspicious-Half2593

ghrrrrowl

you can always count on india to somehow manage to screw stuff up

SenpaiBunss

Fingers crossed. Should not lead to another delay because France backing out like American GE did and plans with Russia never materillised.

Subject-Cycle-2937

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"Following an extensive consultation process, including detailed input from a technical committee that assessed all critical aspects of fighter jet engine manufacturing, the ministry concluded that French aerospace firm Safran offered the most beneficial terms. The recommendation is part of a ₹61,000 crore initiative to co-develop a 120 kilonewton (kN) thrust engine, intended for future combat platforms such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

The government had evaluated proposals from Safran and the UK-based Rolls Royce."

Top-Flatworm8201

US really played this wrong and made a mess.


In the last few years, supply of GE engines, that were the original choice, kept getting delayed. They messed-up their "pole position".


All sorts of games were played at the backend. Still, Modi remained in power.


Now, with Trump's open embrace of the Pakistani military leader after recent hostilities, US-India long term defense trade will suffer immensely.


The BJP was always the "Pro-US" party, while Congress were Soviet Controlled for a large part.


US, with its silly antics, lost BJP for at least 1 or 2 generations of leadership.


---


Long story short: India was hedging between US and France for military aviation tech. France kept their promises and delivered as per schedule. US didn't. Thus, France is rewarded with long term engagements for decade or two.

lexxwern

I see big order for Rafales as stopgap coming to Dassault from India before AMCA is ready.

They have fuselage production in India and now this engine deal.

[deleted]

This is a huge step finally building our own jet engines with real tech transfer.

manwhodream21

Helixdust

120kN is huge right? Isn’t that the kind of engine that we would need for the fcas?

UnMaxDeKEuros

Is India slowly becoming more friendly with the EU?

Ixziga

YES! Everything to disengage from USA imperialism, GO EU, GO INDIA, SHOW THEM, you can't subjugate a milenar civilization. TAKE THAT IN YOUR FACE AMERICA!

guimillen

So Russia will have the blueprints and prototype parts right off the bat right?

Simple_Project4605

Good call France, collaborate with a country that's friends and involved defensively with Russia.

RoastMasterShawn

Is this wise? That's pretty much how it went with China - lots of tech transfers and local manufacturing until they could copy it.

PainInTheRhine

This is also another nail in the coffin of India's relationship with Russia and Sukhoi jets.

They've spent a couple of decades trying to get performant Sukhoi jets and a license to locally manufacture the engine, but Russia has been unable to deliver engines that don't breakdown constantly, and unwilling to let India manufacture their own.

HighDeltaVee

&gt;The defence ministry has recommended a collaboration with France to develop next-generation fighter jet engines, marking a breakthrough for the mega project that will bring advanced manufacturing and design technologies and is a key step towards self-reliance.



Deal is not 100% according to the original source sure but it would be pretty much hard to loose it as Safran already is transfering engine tech to them + France works extensively in military industry with India.

  
It would also mean that whatever happens to SCAF, France would still be develloping the whole technology for a 6th gen plane and it would help Safran to clearly be ahead of Rolls Royce if it does both engines.

&gt;A strategic gamble for New Delhi. The Indian Ministry of Defense has recommended signing a partnership with France for the joint development of an engine for their future combat aircraft. The decision, revealed by [The Economic Times](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/indo-french-next-generation-fighter-engine-collab-gets-minimum-thrust/articleshow/122670184.cms?from=mdr) , marks a major step forward in India's quest for industrial autonomy in the defense sector.

&gt;This project, estimated at around €6.7 billion, aims to design a 120 kilonewton (kN) engine to power India's future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) fighter jet. The program is ambitious: five prototypes are expected by 2027, a first flight in 2028, certification in 2032, and series production by 2035.

&gt;**Safran wins against Rolls-Royce**

&gt;The French proposal, led by Safran, was preferred to that of the British company Rolls-Royce after a technical consultation process conducted by experts and representatives of the Indian aerospace ecosystem. The key to the choice: a technology transfer deemed more comprehensive, including critical know-how in design, production, and maintenance. The French aircraft engine manufacturer's offer also aligns with the AMCA schedule, which worked in its favor.

&gt;This partnership represents a strategic shift for India, whose current fighter jets—Su-30, Rafale, and LCA Tejas—are all powered by foreign engines. The cost of an engine, and especially maintaining it in operational condition, weighs heavily on an aircraft's lifecycle. India has been grappling with this for years, so far without success. The domestic Kaveri program has never achieved the expected performance. A derivative version could, however, eventually equip combat drones.

&gt;Meanwhile, India [continues](https://opexnews.fr/tag/inde/) to negotiate with the United States for a license to manufacture the GE 414 INS6 engine, intended for the Tejas Mk2. But here again, New Delhi is demanding a very high level of technology transfer, including hot blade processing, laser drilling, and advanced metallurgy, technologies that are rarely shared.

&gt;**A key partnership for AMCA**

&gt;With France, the signal is strong. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, the main architect of this strategy, wants to create a sovereign aircraft engine ecosystem. The need is real: according to estimates, more than 250 engines will be needed to equip the Indian Air Force's future AMCA squadrons, and potentially a naval version for the Navy.

&gt;Beyond local production, India is therefore aiming for a structural increase in skills. If the project succeeds, it could make New Delhi a credible player in next-generation aeronautical propulsion engineering, a club that is currently very limited. For France, it is also an opportunity to consolidate a strategic partnership, in the face of China's growing power and American competition in the Asian market.

India is an odd player - simultaneously doing joint weapons development with Russia while also getting more and more cozy with the west. Imagine seeing French jets carrying Russian missiles.

Swimming_Average_561

Rolls Royce made a better offer though, Safran is just giving a repackaged M88 at least it will be faster that way. But if they had to go that way anyway Safran was offering the M88 core for kaveri some years back anyway. Should have gone for that.

Stock_Outcome3900

https://idrw.org/rolls-royce-reaffirms-commitment-to-co-develop-amca-engine-intensifying-competition-with-safran/

Maybe Rolls-Royce is not out of contention but this makes me think about japanese offer 

So india has two offers for 200 kn engines

1. Japan- india already rejected japanese engine
2. Rolls Royce-UK
3. Safran has never made 120 kn engine which india wants and needs

DRDO started the Kaveri jet engine project in 1986, and it was supposed to be ready in 1996. It will be finished any day now! Why would they need Safran? :-)

Useless_or_inept

Lockheed Martin: Release the Epstein files

nwayve

And just like that, India is exempt from tariffs!

008Zulu

During the Biden administration the US and India signed the biggest defence and research deal they've ever had. India was going to, buy a ton of US military hardware. There was some that they did get before Trump got back in. And this was all so the US could form an even stronger alliance in Southern Asia to counter China. And Trump just tosses it in the shitter.

RudytheMan

Who would have thought when you slap someone in the face they might be tempted to slap back.

ShawnnyCanuck

My mom’s getting tariff warnings on her eyeglasses. Fuck trump.

gnartfocker

Respect for India. Meanwhile Pakistan recommending him for Nobel. We know who the bitch is now.

YetiGuy

Lol I'm sure Trump's donors won't like that...

Miserable_Pie_8337

Nomad_Q

Spirillum

You treat major trading partner like a jerk prepare you will be treated like jerk in return and India can make it pretty difficult.

macross1984

India has reportedly rejected the U.S. offer to buy F-35 stealth fighter jets, signaling a clear shift in its defense strategy even as it weighs options to ease tensions sparked by President Donald Trump’s 25% tariff threat.

According to a Bloomberg report, New Delhi conveyed its disinterest in the high-end warplanes during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s February visit to the White House. Trump had pitched the F-35 sale as a key plank in deepening bilateral ties, but India prefers a model focused on joint design and domestic manufacturing over expensive off-the-shelf acquisitions.

The_Starving_Autist

More Burst!!! Long live France...🇨🇵😁

Ill_Wolverine_6265

Why would you buy anything from a country who will turn it off when they’re mad at you. 

rjksn

They will strong arm india against pak if they buy f 35, Indians won't risk being handicapped for this same reason.


Russia doesn't care what their weapons are used after they sell. America meddling with other countries has always pushed it away from India

lostwisdom20

I mean, besides the tariffs, this dude on camera also mused about selling stunted F-35s because one day the US could go to war with a country that has F-35s in its air force and the US wants the superior plane in the air.  Fine, but that's not exactly an attractive sales pitch... to buy something knowing that it's artificially handicapped and you're not getting what you are paying for.

hyperforms9988

"Gee, why are all these random countries starting to align with our enemies?
It's a mystery!"

Hadleys158

I think they were probably itching to do this for quite a while, why would you want to rely on the US to maintain your fighter jets, it's an insane idea now, especially for a nation like India.

Sinaaaa

Now that's how you negotiate haha. 

Donald is such a loser.

ScenicPineapple

As an Indian my perspective on this is Trump has a gross misunderstanding of how complex geopolitical dialogue and process takes place. If anything our bureaucracy is good at that is unnecessarily lagging things without elicit a response, then a very well to sit back smile and just things fly out. They won’t take even a single thing that he says into their heart. In fact, what he actually wants is a mudslinging contest. We are not used to that in international dialogue with the exception of Pakistan.

BannedRedditVet

Donald Trump is single-handedly destroying all the good deals which the previous administration had made

Brown-Rocket69

Ok_Career_3681

6gc_4dad

outerproduct

Good for India! Stand up to the manipulation! Trump thinks he is the only one with cards. If USA does not honor deals why should the rest of countries do it. 

Katia657

Organic-Reporter4805

If republicans win the next term, it shows the real stupidity and how dumb Americans really are. Hard enough to believe already that a pedophile is their current president 😄😄

69odysseus

I want something else from you, so I’m going to say I’m buying something you’re trying to sell but won’t be delivered for several years. I get the other thing, but I never wanted to buy anything. I just had to say I would. But now every time I want something, I just say I’m going to cancel the order. 

LoveBulge

Ok_Hippo4997

India has no intention to buy the F-35 to begin with.

They want technology transfer to develop their own 5th generation fighter jet. In the entire world only Israel has a partial transfer, to develop their own upgrades and maintenance programs. There is zero chance for India to get it.

Misfiring

No country on the planet knows how to play the US better than Pakistan. 

Penalties and exorbitant tariff rates on India for buying some of its oil and arms from Russia. —&gt;
**Pakistan literally runs its entire economy and defence as a Chinese satellite. Only 19% concessional tariffs.**

*”Don’t be a member of BRICS”threats to the rest of the world. 
Pakistan is China’s closest ally. No problem. 

*Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan get bombed for terror links. 
Osama Bin Laden is literally found in Pakistan. No consequences. 

*Iran gets bombed for trying to build a nuclear weapon. 
Pakistan does go nuclear, and also proliferates nukes across the world. All is good. 

I’m in genuine awe. 
Pakistan should run management seminars on how to pull this off. It could make billions of dollars.

Far_Piglet_9596

India wouldn't buy F35, USA won't let India have source code of F35 like which only USA and Israel has ... so every mission Indian F35 wants to take, it would be leaked to the USA before Indian f35 even leaves the ground

Funny-Bit-4148

I thought the US was against selling the F-35 to countries that use Russian/Chinese air defense systems.

Sufficient_Coast3438

“India prefers a model focused on joint design and domestic manufacturing over expensive off-the-shelf acquisitions.”

So nothing to do with tariffs

Zipz

Maybe they had a good look at the one that got stranded at an Indian airport and realised it wasn’t worth the effort and expense

Other_Cap2954

rhythm money melodic coherent ripe normal truck racial flowery mighty

Sea-Cupcake-2065

Yeah the F35 program is a serious risk if the US is going to slide into fascism every 4 years on off. They simply can't be trusted. Very much like having a schizophrenic partner

DoomguyFemboi

What "tariff shock"? Americans pay for the tariffs. It's an import tax. Unless paired with communist stuff like price fixing to prevent domestic supply from just going to [same price-1] as the tariffed good, it doesn't do anything to encourage domestic.

Abombasnow

I wish the EU had the balls to that. Instead we gave away like 1.5 trillion. Fuck everybody involved in that deal.

satanic_black_metal_

Appeasing Trump is a mistake: nothing he signs means he won’t change his mind the very next day. Trying to negotiate with the US alone is a mistake: these countries should be forming blocs to increase their negotiating power.

gidimeister

porgy_tirebiter

Imagine your only card is 'I'm going to increase taxes on my country'.

Vicstolemylunchmoney

You wonder why we cancelled our Vegas trip this year? Because of your President. And his lunatic, ALL CAPS rage tweets against us. Threatening Canada’s very territorial sovereignty. Trump has destroyed in just six months, a 200 year close relationship, based on mutual trust. You forget the USA is only 340 million. The rest of the globe is 8 billion. American exceptionalism is now dead. What Trump does not understand is that without global competition, your isolated and tariff barricaded “Fortress America” economy, will die a slow and painful death. Our new Prime Minister Mark Carney has signed a 170 billion defence agreement with the EU and also a purchased a new Arctic Surveillance System from Australia. We will also spend our tourist dollars elsewhere, so long as your shit for brains leader remains in power. Elbows up America! 🇺🇸 🇨🇦

winter_chinook8369

Indian Air Force was never interested in F 35. 

In spite of Trump offering the planes in an open public meeting in February 2025 to Modi, the latter was disinterested. This was, in fact, the first affront by Modi towards Trump. The relationship since then has been anything but uphill.

But that's not the point here. 

What is more worrying for the US military industrial complex is Trump, forcing the Europeans to pay for their own defence. 

Trump had calculated that by increasing their defence budgets, Europeans and other NATO members would buy more weapons from America. 

The exact opposite is happening.  Europeans are not only rapidly increasing their defence budgets but also ensuring that their own industries build the weapons and hence not buy from the US.

After all, unlike India, they have no issues with access to  technologies, which any way are some of the best in the world. 

So, future job prospects in the US industrial complex are certainly becoming grim by the day.

Yes, other countries will buy weapons from the US, but not in such large numbers as Europe or India.

Geopolto

Don't worry Modi, he'll just TACO and keep the tariff drama going to distract from the real issue at hand right now.

SpidersCrow

mikumikupersona

Obviously, most countries will run a mile, instead of of dealing with Trump

iFox66

INb4: Trump rolls back tarriffs, India agrees to buy F35s again, Trump takes credit for selling F35s that were already sold.

Abstractcatdrawing

The F35 is a pile of junk and they are right to pass.  Half our fleet is grounded at any given time due to technical issues.  It is so bad Lockheed now has service contracts to fix our planes at huge costs vs. service members.  England had an F35 stuck in India for 6 weeks that a team of 17 technicians could not fix.  It finally left last week.  They were going to dismantle it and fly it out via transport plane but managed to get it to fly.  at $100M apiece who wants half sitting broken down.  I guess if you could buy them for $50M you might buy some.  They would also not have reliable parts available which is another issue with these planes, lack of parts.

Potter-Dog

India is one biggest market of military equipment, US would hace made lot more money in military deals than stupid tariffs.....

justaguyoninternt

He didn't even get a chance to TACO.  Wtf is this world coming to?

ManReay

We are a dead economy he said. Obviously we can’t afford f35s.

DeliberatelyInsane

And just for today, Reddit cares about Lockheed Martin.

greycubed

For the unaware, India was being offered F-35 for the past 4 to 5 years by Biden and now Trump. F-35 has been part of AERO-INDIA 2023 and 2025, a military show dedicated to aviation related equipments.  Previously Rafales and Russian equipments used to take part.

India has rejected the F-35 previously under Biden. But earlier this year, it came out that India's self developed 4.5G jets are going to be delayed by about 3 to 5 years. Also, Rafales did not have a great showing in the military escalation with Pakistan recently. So, Trump administration is pushing India to buy the F-35s.

India will not buy them as F-35s need a code updated daily to start the engines. These codes will be provided by the US everyday. Imagine spending billions of dollars to buy F-35s only to find China or Pakistan bribed the Trump family via various business ventures like selling stakes in their mines or oil fields etc and US refuses to share codes.

FarDetail7409

This after Apple shifts production from China to India to get away from tariffs....

TDYDave2

India is set to finalize a $1 billion deal with General Electric for fighter jet engines, underpinning a major military procurement amidst international tariff tensions.

India US Fighter Jet Engine Deal

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