NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday urged Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists to complete the indigenous aero-engine project within five years, instead of taking decades as is conventionally expected.Stressing India’s strategic autonomy and the significance of mastering critical technologies at speed, the Union minister said that factoring in the nation’s current circumstances and strategic requirements, the 25-year target must be compressed to five years.
Rajnath Singh acknowledged the deadline as a challenge; however, he said it should not come “as a shock or a surprise.”“If developing an engine takes 25 years, then given India’s current circumstances, our strategic requirements and our national ambitions, we must assume that 20 of those years are already gone and only five remain. This should not come as a shock or a surprise. It is a challenge. We have to achieve in these five years what other countries typically accomplish in twenty. And within that compressed timeframe, we must deliver our very best,” said the defence minister.Rajnath Singh further said that India cannot remain limited to fifth-generation engines and must begin work on sixth-generation and advanced technologies immediately. The increasing global use of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and advanced materials in defence systems, he said, requires India to stay ahead of the curve.Speaking at the Gas Turbine Research Establishment in Bengaluru, Rajnath Singh said the establishment, functioning under the DRDO, has become “the foundation of India’s strategic capability,” crediting its scientists for consistently delivering successful tests and strengthening the country’s defence preparedness.The minister reiterated that self-reliance in critical defence technologies was no longer an option amid rapidly evolving geopolitical realities.“When we came to power, we took steps towards self-reliance. In the defence sector too, we made several efforts to promote self-reliance. As defence minister, during my nearly 7-year tenure, I made every effort to prioritise the development of the Aero engine, and we did so,” he said.“Looking at today’s global political situation, I don’t think there’s any need to explain how crucial self-reliance is in such critical technology. The world’s geopolitical scenario is changing very rapidly. Supply chains are breaking, and new ecosystems are developing. In such a situation, only the country that has its own technology will remain safe, secure, and able to sustain itself,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.“We are passing through that historical phase when the eyes of the entire world are on India. All countries want to be a part of India’s this growth story. All countries want to partner in our ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. In such a situation, we have a lot of options, a lot of opportunities. We have to take full advantage of these opportunities and further strengthen our technological capabilities,” he further stated.
The significance of aero engines
An aero engine in defence refers to the propulsion system that powers military aircraft such as fighter jets, transport planes, helicopters and certain unmanned aerial vehicles. In the case of combat aircraft, it is typically a high-performance turbofan engine that generates the thrust required for supersonic speed, rapid climb, manoeuvrability and sustained operations in demanding conditions. It also supports critical functions such as afterburner performance, payload capacity and combat range. In simple terms, the engine determines how fast, how far and how effectively a military aircraft can operate.Its significance lies in strategic autonomy. Aero engines are among the most complex and tightly controlled defence technologies in the world, mastered by only a handful of countries. If a nation depends on foreign suppliers for engines, it remains vulnerable to supply restrictions, upgrade limitations and export constraints. For India, developing an indigenous aero engine is crucial not just for powering current platforms like Tejas but also for future projects such as next-generation fighter aircraft. Mastery of this technology strengthens national security, reduces long-term dependence and places the country in an elite technological league globally.
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