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GE eyes engine deal for India's stealth fighter, ramps up jet deliveries

GE eyes engine deal for India's stealth fighter, ramps up jet deliveries

Time of India2 days ago

US'
General Electric
(GE) will vie for the contract to make engines for the
Indian Air Force
's
fifth-generation stealth fighter
or
advanced medium combat aircraft
, chairman and chief executive Larry Culp told
ET
in an interview.
Culp said the aerospace major considers India a strategically important market for both the civil and defence aerospace businesses.
'We are very interested,' he said. 'If you look at what we're doing with the Tejas with our 404 engines, we are right in the middle of probably what matters most in that regard. The US and India enjoy a very strong relationship. So we are here, we want to be supportive and are engaged so we possibly can be.'
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Last month, India announced a long-awaited plan to fast-track the development of an indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter. The announcement came days after Operation Sindoor against Pakistan.
One of the most critical components—a high-thrust engine—will likely be developed through a joint venture with a foreign manufacturer. GE will face competition on this from rivals such as Safran and Rolls-Royce.
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Eyeing more volumes in India: Culp
GE is also stepping up the delivery of jet engines to plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) for the Tejas Mark-1A fighter, which has been much delayed. In March, GE delivered the first of 99 F-404 engines, around two years behind schedule.
'That is our intent and we've communicated that to everyone,' Culp said. 'We are working with the suppliers to ramp their capability. We're making good progress. I just look at April and May of this year compared to where we were in the first quarter—we've seen a double-digit increase in the number of receipts.'
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh recently voiced concerns about delays in the procurement of critical military platforms. Both military programmes and commercial airline sales are increasingly being delayed due to the inability of manufacturers to ramp up production.
Culp said that though multiple actions are being taken to lessen the impact, it will be a while before the problem is solved.
'We are making a tremendous amount of progress not only in GE but across the industry,' he said. 'But when you look at the demand expectations that only increase every year, we're going to be talking about supply chain for a while. That's just the nature of the challenge where we are in a super cycle.'
GE will also look to set up a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility for civilian aircraft engines in India once the volume increases.
'I think that's more a matter of when, as opposed to if,' he said. 'We want to make sure we have the underlying volume in the marketplace that would support those investments.'
GE has more than 1,400 engines operating in India, powering both narrow and wide-body aircraft and an order book for around 2,500 more.
'The number is sufficient to say that India is a priority country for us,' Culp said.

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India's new warfare: Drones, data, and the defence race that can't wait
India's new warfare: Drones, data, and the defence race that can't wait

Time of India

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India's new warfare: Drones, data, and the defence race that can't wait

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India's new warfare: Drones, data, and the defence race that can't wait
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Economic Times

timean hour ago

  • Economic Times

India's new warfare: Drones, data, and the defence race that can't wait

TIL Creatives Representative AI Image Warfare isn't what it used to be. The enemy might not come with boots and rifles, but with buzzing drone swarms, silent cyberattacks, and AI algorithms calculating their every move. For India, this future is already here. The recent exchange of drone fire between India and Pakistan in May 2025—the most serious clash in decades—marked the beginning of a new era. Both sides unleashed loitering munitions and kamikaze drones. For the first time in South Asia, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) became one of the central instruments of conflict. It was a live demonstration of what future conflict looks of UAVs filled the skies. Some watched. Some struck. Others confused enemy sensors or jammed communications. It was the subcontinent's first true drone war—and perhaps the start of a new era. India's 'Operation Sindoor' launched with precision missile strikes on nine terror camps across the Line of Control. But it was the drones that stole the headlines. Loitering munitions like the IAI Harop and kamikaze UAVs from Indian and Israeli origin swarmed across targets. In response, Pakistan retaliated with Turkish Bayraktar TB2s and Chinese Wing Loong side deployed over 1,000 drones. Not just to attack, but to observe, disrupt, and deceive.'This marks a significant shift in the character of South Asian warfare,' said Rabia Akhtar, visiting fellow at Harvard's Belfer Center in a report by Foreign Policy. 'Drones weren't just tools of surveillance. They were instruments of strategic messaging—fast, low-risk, and deadly.' For the Indian Army, the learning curve was sharp.'Managing the airspace with so many flying objects, jammers on both sides, and other users of airspace will be a huge challenge,' admitted a senior officer in a Deccan Herald report.'Drones now are not just about surveillance,' said Agnishwar Jayaprakash, founder of Garuda Aerospace. 'They need to carry payloads, drop bombs, and execute kamikaze missions. 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Without homegrown AI hardware, software superiority won't be warfare doesn't make headlines—but it can end wars before they begin. From GPS spoofing to malware that freezes command centres, the dangers are growing.'A cyberattack is like putting a pin in your brain,' the defence company senior official said. 'Your body—your assets—remain intact, but you're paralysed.' India's communication systems, increasingly digitised and centralised, make this a critical vulnerability. The consensus is clear: India needs a dedicated Cyber Command, built like those of the US or Israel. One that can detect, defend, and—when needed—disrupt. India's defence posture is shifting from manpower-heavy to tech-intensive. But this transition can't succeed with assembly lines alone. It requires invention.'Make in India is not enough,' the defence company senior official said. 'We need to 'Create in India'. 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That's why India is looking early warning systems—constellations of satellites using synthetic aperture radar (SAR)—will become the new first responders. A recent ISRO launch failed to deploy one such payload. Still, optimism persists.'The setbacks are technical, not strategic,' the official said. 'We will overcome them.'In fact, Garuda Aerospace sees crossover potential, 'Our strong R&D in drone autonomy can also feed into future space-based autonomous systems.'The senior defence company senior official envisions a four-pillar model: Academia, Startups, R&D Institutions, and Industry. Together, they must build both the ideas and the tools India many startups face a familiar frustration. 'You involve us in development, we invest time and money thinking production will follow—and then nothing comes,' the expert noted. 'That's demoralising.'Consistency and continuity in defence orders could change defence budget is vast—yet most of it funds salaries and pensions. Little goes toward future tech.'If the government can't buy everything, it must help us sell,' the expert like Armenia and Morocco have already begun ordering Indian systems. But exports require more than product—they need deals, diplomacy, and government-backed financing. 'Look at South Korea,' he said. 'They started with nothing and are now exporting advanced systems. We must do the same.'Drones, cyber tools, and AI aren't just weapons. They're deterrents. And diplomats. Used well, they allow targeted responses without escalation. Used poorly, they could provoke catastrophe—especially in a nuclear-armed drone warfare expert James Patton Rogers noted, Drones allow militaries 'to limit strikes to military targets, test defences, and provide a lower escalation response.'But that flexibility comes with temptation. If war is easier to start, will it be harder to stop?India's answer must be bold, strategic—and unshakably local. The new war has already begun. And this time, it won't wait.

Northeast gets grip on rubber for tyres
Northeast gets grip on rubber for tyres

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

Northeast gets grip on rubber for tyres

CHENNAI: Govt and industry's efforts to extend natural rubber plantation to the northeastern states has started to bear fruit with the region's (Tripura, Assam & Meghalaya) share in total production more than doubling to 17.5% in 2023-24 from 7.8% in 2013-14. Tripura's rubber production has jumped to 91,500 tonne from 39,000 tonne in 10 years, data from All India Rubber Industries Association showed. During this period, top source Kerala's production fell to 6.1 lakh tonne from 6.5 lakh tonne. Similarly, Assam's production has grown to 46,500 tonne from 13,600 tonne, while Meghalaya is at 11,775 tonne, up from 7,570 tonne a decade ago. Domestic natural rubber production is around 8.5 lakh tonne with Northeast contributing about 1.5 lakh tonne. "Given that India's total rubber requirement is 14.5 lakh tonne, tyre companies are looking at Northeast for additional sourcing. Production in Kerala has reached its peak, so Northeast has potential for expansion," All India Rubber Industries Association president Shashi Singh said. "Natural rubber production in Tripura and Assam has risen in the last couple of years, and the quality has also seen some improvement, leading to higher offtake by the tyre industry and Apollo Tyres," said Apollo Tyre president & chief business officer Sunam Sarkar. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Northeast sourcing is seeing an uptick even though the region has not yet hit its peak planned coverage of 200,000 hectares. "This is our fifth year in reckoning and out of 2 lakh hectares, which was the layout of the plan, we are at 70,000-75,000 hectare. We are increasing our buying from Northeast apart from buying from the traditional (plantations) down south," added JK Tyre MD Anshuman Singhania. According to Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA) in the first four years of the Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development (INROAD) project (FY22-25), an area of 1.25 lakh hectares has been covered under new rubber plantations across 94 districts in Northeast and parts of West Bengal. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now

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