MUMBAI: India's state-owned aeronautics firm said Friday it had inked an agreement with US company General Electric to acquire over 100 engines for its domestically designed and built Tejas fighter jets.
The deal comes at a time when ties between the US and India have come under strain over President Donald Trump's decision to impose harsh tariffs as punishment for New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil.
The two nations have yet to secure a trade deal, although Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have adopted a more conciliatory tone on bilateral ties after relations plummeted in August.
Over 100 engines
On Friday, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said the pact would see GE Aerospace supply 113 engines for an advanced version of the Tejas fighter referred to as Mk1A.
"The engine deliveries would be from 2027 to 2032," HAL said in a statement posted on social media platform X, without offering details on the contract's value.
The announcement comes a little over a month after India placed a $7 billion order with HAL for 97 light combat aircraft Mk1A.
Arms import
One of the world's largest arms importers, India has made the modernization of its forces a top priority and has made repeated pushes to boost domestic production.
