France Offers Help in Kaveri Engine and Co-Development of Short-Range Missile with India

India and France are on the road to greater defence ties as French Foreign Affairs Minister Alain Juppe visited India and held delegation-level talks with his Indian counterpart S.M.Krishna in New Delhi recently. While France discussed the issue of civil nuclear safety having been awarded a multi-billion nuclear power plant contract, both sides also discussed various military contracts as well as co-development of new defence products. France is also hoping to clinch the $ 10.4 billion MMRCA project whose winner will be announced next month.

While France has assured greater cooperation from its nuclear regulatory board as well as the reliability of its technology to smoothen the nuclear power plant project, both nations also discussed the status of ongoing as well as proposed defence projects between India and France. One of the important discussions revolved around the joint development of a short-range missile. The purpose of deployment of this short-range missile will be to guard the vital installations from aerial threat. The efforts to finalise the joint defence research and development for short-range surface-to-air missile (SR-SAM) is underway. The state-run Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) is seeking to co-develop technology in order to cater to the requirement of the Indian armed forces. DRDO has been involved in the Trishul point defense missile system as well as its successor, the Maitri short-range surface to air missile (SR-SAM) projects in the past and will apply its know-how on this latest project for SR-SAM with France.

French Foreign Affairs Minister also discussed the issue of the induction of French technology for the Kaveri engine. The Kaveri aircraft engine is being indigenously developed by India but has not yet lived up to the expectation of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Kaveri engine was to be used on the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas but the IAF has deemed it unsatisfactory. France has offered to offer technology to make Kaveri engine worthy of the future fighter planes India plans to develop. In addition, DRDO is negotiating with French engine manufacturer Snecma to co-develop high-end technology for the Kabini, which forms the core part of Kaveri engine being developed for the LCA Tejas. DRDO is in the last lap of negotiations with France. The goal is for the Kaveri engine provides the required thrust without affecting the size and weight.

As for the other crucial Indo-French defence deals, France has recently bagged the contract to modernise 51 IAF Mirage 2000 aircraft. The $ 2.4 billion deal to upgrade was signed recently with Dassault Aviation and Thales. The upgradation of the 51 Mirage-2000 aircraft will include a multimode Doppler radar, modern glass cockpit, fully integrated electronic warfare suite and beyond visual range capabilities. The overhaul of the fleet will add 20-25 years to the life of the Mirage aircraft which were introduced to the IAF in the mid-1980s. France is also expecting to win the $ 10.4 billion MMRCA contract in which the Eurofighter typhoon is the only other contender left. The MMRCA deal is expected to be finalized next month.

India and France have also held their first ever joint army exercises in India called ‘Shakti 2011’ this month. The joint drill with the Army is a debut event and the two countries already hold air and naval exercises called ‘Garuda’ and ‘Varuna’ respectively. The joint army drill will further enhance defence cooperation and military-to-military relations between the two nations.

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Sunil Gupta Posted on: October 28, 2011

India should try to develop its own fighter engines rather going for the french technology

I dont understand that just for 10 KN india is colloborating with france in kaveri engines high end technology.Kaveri at present giving thrust of 80 KN and and our requirement is 90 Kn to 100 KN.I think if we little bit concentrate on our aproach we can produce the engines with 100KN.We can copy the MIG 25 engines which has power of 145KN.Even if we come to produce the engines of 125KN.Then also we are at safer side and later on we can continue to develoop the engines further for its full potential.I think major thing is crystel blade we should give some parts to the number of foundry in our govt and privat foundry institute with thier specification and temperature and try to match the quality and weight ratio and temperature bearing capacity.We should also try to reduce the weight also using the local availabe technology.We should not forget that india has no of brain ,which can beat the american and russian also.I came to know that india is also manufacturing AL31 turbo engines in orissa Hal factory.Using that experience we can go ahead. what i feel that there is subsitute for every technology but for that we will have to expidiate the thing in way that we don't have time.Ifeel that major factor is lying with the crystel engines and its hull.Our scientist shoul be given training in foundry technology in russia or america or france and england.They must know that what material they should use in reducing the weight of the engines and how much a material can take the heat bearing capacity.India can hire russian and american or french or german foundry specilist buy paying them good compensation.We should not forget 40% of indian scientist are working in NASA .In international forum and india Citizen national meet in different part of the world india should ask for thier help in developing latest technology.India should not forget that to bring them here they should be given good compensation to think big we should open our hands and pocket.Otherwise it will be too late.On defence budget also we will have to tell our govt also minimise the corupption and do the best for the country.We can hire defence scientist from germany and forigen country irrespective of their nationality.They should be confine to only one project in which they have expertise.We should not forget that china paid a million dollar to the indian american scientist who was involve in the B 52 stealth bomber project.Why not we.Open your hands and pocket.

Mahendra Sing Posted on: November 13, 2011

india should achieve on its own and not with collobration.

Sunil gupta's openion is absolutely right and india should pay to technical experts for solving the problem.It is possible to get help from international experts but they should be given minimum time limit and arrange for instruments/fascilities required to carry the work.
India has got rich resources in all fields and development can be achieved easily.
What is the exact reason of delay is might be secret or politics or inefficient peoples involved in development team.
Due to delay in development of the engine we have exhausted money in purchasing engines from GE and in future also we will exhaust money to put burden on public by the way of taxes along with risk of supply at the time of critical war conditions.