Companies from UK, France and Japan offer to jointly produce and transfer technology India searches for partners beyond US to build fighter jet engines

India is engaging with manufacturers from at least three other countries for jointly making fighter jet engines, expanding its defence partnerships beyond the US as it seeks to close capability gaps amid rising regional tensions, according to sources familiar with the matter.

- BY S VENKAT NARAYAN

The engines being considered are from the UK, France and Japan. And India wants to start the project quickly, Bloomberg reported on May 30, quoting senior officials who asked not to be named as discussions are private.

The offers will be evaluated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) — India’s military research body —they added.

The London-based defence manufacturing giant Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC offered to jointly produce and transfer technology to India during a visit by senior defence ministry officials to the UK in April, according to one of the officials.

Talks with Safran SA also gathered momentum as the Paris-based aerospace company is open to transferring technology and sharing intellectual property rights, the people said.

Japan made a similar offer in May, they said, without indicating a possible partner.