'Pentagon Ensured 100 Per Cent Tech Transfer For GE Engine Manufacturing In India Despite State Department Hurdles': Report

The Pentagon made sure that General Electric (GE) makes 100 per cent transfer of technology (ToT) for GE F-414 engines to India while the US state department bureaucracy put hurdles, reported Hindustan Times.

"It is understood that while the US State Department bureaucracy with its past legacy was resisting intensifying defence and hi-tech cooperation with India, it is the Pentagon and NSA Sullivan who have pushed the agenda to make PM Modi’s forthcoming visit to the US historic," the HT report says.

The United States until now has never shared critical 'hot core' of jet engine to its closest allies. But NSA Sullivan and the Pentagon were able to make this as the primary agenda for the PM's visit.

"Fact is that the US has never shared aircraft engine technology for manufacturing in a third country including the “hot engine” technology with even their closest ally," the report says.

"Despite the State Department trying to place hurdles, the Pentagon and National Security Council under Sullivan have ensured that 100 per cent transfer of technology for the manufacture of GE’s F-414 engine is possible in India," the report further adds.

India is looking to co-manufacture General Electric GE F-414 jet engines to power in-development, Tejas Mk-2 fighter jet.

General Electric's F-404 jet engine already powers Mk-1 and Mk-1A variants of the Tejas light combat aircraft.

The US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan, meanwhile, is visiting India to finalise and fine-tune details of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States.

The Prime Minister will visit the United States from 21to 24 June. Sullivan is expected to meet Prime Minister Modi, as well as, the Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.

The US NSA will also meet Ajit Doval, India's National Security Advisor, where they will discuss sharing technology on quantum computing as well as deepen cooperation in the fields of telecommunication and rare-earth minerals.

Cooperation on these topics are being done under the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET) which was first started when Indian NSA Ajit Doval met Sullivan on 31 January 2023.

This visit comes a week after US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd Austin, also came to India for a two-day visit.