India, US Close To Signing $700 Million Deal To Acquire 100 'GE 404' Engines For Tejas Mk1A Fighter Jets

In what would signify further deepening of defence ties between India and the United States (US), the former is set to sign a deal to acquire 100 fighter jet engines worth $700 million from US-based General Electric (GE), reports Economic Times.

The procured GE 404 engines will be used to power the Mk 1A version of the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The said engine is already being used to power the Mk1 version of the LCA Tejas which is in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Earlier in February, India had formally signed a Rs 48,000 crore contract to acquire indigenous LCA Tejas Mk1A fighter jets with the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

India and the US are said to have almost completed the negotiations and all issues related to the supply are said to have been sorted out.

Once inked, the engagement would mark the biggest India-US defence deal since February 2020 when India had placed orders to procure MH-60 Sikorsky Romeo multi-role helicopters and Apache attack choppers during a visit by the then-president Donald Trump.