What is ‘Fund Kaveri Engine'? All about DRDO project and India's push to build indigenous 5th-gen fighter jets

Mint

27-05-2025

An online campaign—'Fund Kaveri Engine'—is generating immense attention and excitement in the aftermath of the May 7 Operation Sindoor. The topic has been trending across social media platforms as thousands of users urge the government to invest in Indigenous defence technology and reduce dependency on foreign-made fighter jet engines.
Of late, 'Fund Kaveri Engine' has become a hot topic of discussion. Let's explore Kaveri Engine and how its development will benefit India's defence system.
Kaveri engine refers to an indigenously developed turbo engine used in the light combat aircraft programme. It is designed and developed to propel fighter jets.
Spearheaded by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)'s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) based in Bengaluru, the project has faced significant setbacks and delays due to various challenges. The requirement of complex advanced technologies, Western sanctions, lack of skilled manpower, and major reliance on foreign setups were the key reasons for its delay.
'Concurrent certification coverage was provided by RCMA(E). Certification methodology for fighter-class engine has been evolved for raw material, components, systems, LRUs, and full engine-level qualification for the first time in India,' DRDO had said.
In 2008, the project was delinked from the Tejas programme, but a derivative version is being developed, and the project has been adapted for India's fifth-generation fighter aircraft, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). It also aims to power unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) and naval vessels.
Defence experts and enthusiasts have flooded the internet with calls to prioritise the Kaveri engine's development and fulfil the nation's dream to have an indigenous fighter jet engine. Stalled for years, the project, which started in the 1980s, has become a symbol of India's pursuit of self-reliance.
Many users called on PM Modi to allocate funds and resources for the development of the Kaveri engine, emphasising the need of the hour and the importance of achieving self-sufficiency in military aviation technology.
Given its strategic importance in defence technology, social media users asserted that the next target should be 'Made in India' gas turbine engines, rather than importing them from the US, Russia or France.