Defence

DRDO Revives Indigenous 'Kaveri 2.0' Jet Engine for India's Fighter Jets

By TestNeeti Editorial TeamPublished Wednesday, 8 July 2026 2 min readSource: The WeekArticle 13 of 20

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is reportedly reviving India's indigenous fighter-jet engine programme, the 'Kaveri', now envisioned as 'Kaveri 2.0', to develop a domestically produced turbofan engine for future combat aircraft. The original Kaveri project was shelved in 2008 after it failed to meet the thrust required for the LCA Tejas. The revival follows a setback with US manufacturer GE Aerospace, which reportedly raised the price of its F414 engines — meant for the fifth-generation AMCA prototype and the Tejas Mk2 — to nearly three times the initial ₹70–80 crore estimate. India has also faced delays in F404-IN20 engine supplies for the LCA Tejas fleet. If successful, the new engine could power Tejas variants and the Ghatak combat drone.

Key Facts & Details

9 points

1
DRDO is reportedly restarting its indigenous jet-engine programme as 'Kaveri 2.0', targeting a home-built turbofan engine for future combat aircraft.
2
The original Kaveri engine was shelved in 2008 after failing to meet the thrust needed for the LCA Tejas.
3
The revival comes after GE Aerospace reportedly hiked F414 engine prices to nearly three times the initial ₹70–80 crore each; the F414 is meant for the AMCA prototype and Tejas Mk2.
4
India has faced delays in F404-IN20 engine deliveries for the LCA Tejas fleet, affecting Indian Air Force aircraft induction.
5
A successful Kaveri 2.0 could power future Indian aircraft, including Tejas variants and the Ghatak stealth combat drone.
6
The push is part of India's drive for defence self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in critical aero-engine technology.

Deep Dive

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High-thrust military turbofans are among the hardest defence technologies to master, which is why India has long relied on imported fighter-jet engines.
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The F404 and F414 are engine families from GE Aerospace that power the current and upcoming Tejas variants respectively.
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Dependence on foreign engines exposes India's fighter programmes to pricing and supply-chain risks, the central motivation behind reviving Kaveri.

Exam Focus

Which indigenous jet-engine programme is DRDO reportedly reviving as 'Kaveri 2.0', and which aircraft was the original Kaveri intended to power?

Exam Relevance & Angle

Indigenous jet-engine capability is a recurring defence and S&T GA theme. Candidates should connect DRDO, the Kaveri engine, the LCA Tejas, and the imported GE F404/F414 engines, all of which anchor questions on India's push for defence self-reliance and the AMCA fifth-generation fighter.

Target Exams

SBI POIBPS POSSC CGLSSC CPORRB NTPCUPSC CSEState PCS

Background & Context

The Kaveri engine was conceived in the late 1980s by DRDO's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) to power the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. It was delinked from the Tejas in 2008 after it could not generate the required thrust, and the aircraft instead adopted GE's F404 engines. A turbofan is an air-breathing jet engine whose high-thrust military versions are among the most complex technologies to build, which is why only a handful of nations produce them. India's marquee programmes — the Tejas Mk2 and the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) — currently depend on GE's F414, making indigenous engine development strategically vital for self-reliance.