New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that India will begin manufacturing engines for fifth-generation fighter aircraft in partnership with French aerospace giant Safran. 

The Union Minister said the move marks a major step in India’s efforts to strengthen its indigenous defence and aerospace capabilities.

“Today, we have taken another step forward towards building fifth-generation fighter aircraft. We are now moving towards manufacturing their engines in India itself, in collaboration with the French company Safran,” Singh said during an event organised by The Economic Times in the national capital.

Rajnath Singh also invited global firms to participate in India’s expanding defence manufacturing sector, assuring them of government support.

The minister appealed to foreign companies and investors to invest in India’s vibrant defence manufacturing ecosystem. "We will provide all necessary clearances and extend hand-holding support,” Singh said.

Highlighting the larger vision behind 'Make in India', the minister noted that "Our Make in India initiative is not limited to India alone. When you Make in India, you make for the world.”

The announcement comes just months after the Defence Ministry approved the execution model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.

Led by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in partnership with private industry, the AMCA is set to be India’s flagship fifth-generation fighter jet project.

The minister also highlighted that the defence exports have grown nearly 35 times in the last decade, and the government has set an ambitious target of achieving Rs 30,000 crore in defence exports this year and Rs 50,000 crore by 2029.

According to Rajnath Singh, India's defence exports increased from just Rs 686 crore in 2013–14 to Rs 23,622 crore in 2024–25. Today, defence products are exported to almost 100 countries.

At the same time, he said, domestic defence production has more than tripled, rising from Rs 40,000 crore in 2014 to over Rs 1.5 lakh crore in 2024-25 and is expected to reach almost Rs 2 lakh crore in the current fiscal year.

(IANS)