New Delhi: India is deepening defence ties with European partners for its next-generation submarine and fighter jet programs, collectively valued at over $14 billion, as geopolitical frictions with Washington prompt New Delhi to hedge against future risks.
The projects, which include six submarines under the Navy’s Project 75-I and the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), are expected to be completed by 2035.
Two critical technologies — Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems for submarines and 120kN engines for the AMCA — will be sourced through collaborations with Germany and France.
Mazagon Dock and Shipbuilders Ltd. will work with German defence major ThyssenKrupp to integrate AIP systems into the P-75I submarines, while the consortium selected for the AMCA program will partner with French engine maker Safran. The agreement with Safran will be executed through DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE).
Both initiatives will prioritise indigenous development, transfer of technology, and domestic manufacturing, positioning India not only as a producer but also as a potential exporter. The P-75I contract alone is expected to raise Mazagon Dock’s order book from ₹32,000 crore to ₹1.25 lakh crore.
Alongside these projects, India will build two nuclear-powered submarines under Project 77 with its longstanding ally Russia, a program worth over ₹40,000 crore. Unlike conventional submarines, nuclear submarines do not require AIP, as their reactors provide continuous power for extended underwater operations.
India’s decision to avoid US engine suppliers for its fifth-generation aircraft marks a significant shift. The move is aimed at ensuring strategic autonomy after delays in past collaborations and in light of recent US economic actions over India’s Russian oil imports. American company GE is already supplying engines for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1 and Mk2, but the AMCA program will eventually shift to Safran engines.
The $7 billion Safran deal includes a complete transfer of technology for the design, development, testing, and production of 120kN engines. Safran, which already produces helicopter engines in India, will help power the AMCA and future platforms. Initial test flights of AMCA will begin with GE-414 engines before transitioning to Safran-built systems.
India is betting on European collaborations to safeguard its defence programs from “any aggressive leverage by any country” in the future, ensuring critical technologies remain within reach.