On 26th May, ‘Fund Kaveri Engine’ trended across social media platforms as citizens, defence experts and defence enthusiasts rallied behind India’s long-standing but underfunded indigenous jet engine project. The trend reflected public sentiment urging the Modi government to prioritise and accelerate the development of the Kaveri engine that has long symbolised India’s aspiration for self-reliance in military aviation technology.
Social media user Abhay wrote, “Nirmala Sitharaman ji, 18% ki Jagha 20% lelo Caramel popcorn pe but Kaveri Engine ko Fund kardo.”
Nirmala Sitharaman ji, 18% ki Jagha 20% lelo Caramel popcorn pe but Kaveri Engine ko Fund kardo.#FundKaveriEngine pic.twitter.com/vGFC0vgAvr
— Abhay (@KaunHaiAbhay) May 26, 2025
X user Krishnan wrote, “Fund a flying test platform for the Kaveri.” Several of them posted Soviet-style posters.
Fund a flying test platform for the Kaveri. #FundKaveriEngine and #FundIntegratedJetEngineDevelopmentprogramme pic.twitter.com/lwrR4SayCg
— Krishnan (@cvkrishnan) May 26, 2025
Akshit urged PM Modi to fund Kaveri engine for nation interest.
Dear @narendramodi ji
— Akshit Singh 🇮🇳 (@IndianSinghh) May 26, 2025
Please Fund Kaveri Engine for nation interest 🙏 pic.twitter.com/5sjsDcWYMe
Dharmic aeroplate v2 called for crowdfunding for the engine.
We must be the only nation in history where people are running a crowd campaign to fund a gas turbine. Gratifying 😸🫡
— dharmic aeroplate v2 (@daeroplate_v2) May 26, 2025
1/2 pic.twitter.com/QnmDdvwm5E
Even NDTV journalist and defence expert Shiv Aroor joined the campaign.
I don’t know who did this, but damn, I’m on board! #FundKaveriEngine pic.twitter.com/9pqFDiOI1W
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) May 26, 2025
What is the Kaveri engine?
The Kaveri engine was conceived in the late 1980s. It is a turbofan jet engine project spearheaded by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a DRDO lab based in Bengaluru. Initially, it was developed to power the indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. However, it now seeks to reduce India’s dependence on foreign suppliers like GE Aerospace.
Though the Tejas Mk-1 ended up using GE’s F-404 engine, the Kaveri programme was never abandoned. Instead, it evolved with new objectives, including adaptation for India’s upcoming fifth-generation fighter aircraft, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), and for powering unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) and naval vessels.
The Kaveri is a two-spool bypass turbofan engine that features advanced technologies such as a full annular combustor, transonic compressors, and directionally solidified turbine blades. It has undergone over 3,000 hours of testing across various conditions, which includes successful trials at high altitudes and integration on marine platforms.
Recent upgrades include the use of single-crystal turbine blades, polymer matrix composites, and a redesigned fan for stealth aircraft compatibility, all aimed at improving thrust-to-weight ratio and thermal efficiency.
Why has the project been delayed?
There is no doubt that the Kaveri engine is a technologically promising project. However, it has faced significant delays and setbacks. One of the prime reasons is the complexity involved in ab initio development, with high-end disciplines including aerothermal dynamics, materials science, advanced metallurgy, and control systems. India had to build expertise from the ground up in these areas.
Apart from that, Western countries continuously denied access to critical technologies and materials, particularly single-crystal blade technology and high-performance superalloys, which slowed research and indigenous development.
There is also a shortage of skilled manpower and specialised infrastructure, which further hampered progress. India lacked sufficient high-altitude test facilities, which forced the developers to rely on foreign establishments such as Russia’s CIAM, introducing logistical hurdles and delays.
The project also suffered from unrealistic early expectations. The plan to power the Tejas fighter with Kaveri without first validating it on an intermediate platform was premature. The engine, in its early configuration, could only produce 70–75 kN of thrust, well below the 90–100 kN required for frontline fighter aircraft, leading to its decoupling from the Tejas programme and a redirection towards AMCA and UCAVs.
What further complicated the matter was the collapse of international collaboration. DRDO’s negotiations with France’s Snecma collapsed in 2013 after it became clear that the French engine maker was only willing to offer a partial solution by replacing Kaveri’s core with their existing Eco Core, rather than transferring the latest engine technologies in full. India found it unacceptable and remained firm on acquiring genuine, cutting-edge capabilities.
The project is, however, seeing renewed hope, thanks to newer components such as blisks, advanced coating, and an indigenous afterburner under joint development with BrahMos Aerospace. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently confirmed India is in talks with global firms like GE, Rolls-Royce, and Safran for partnerships to bridge capability gaps while retaining control of the Kaveri’s technological base.
India is racing to build fifth-generation aircraft, and the success of Kaveri is no longer just a symbol of prestige, but a strategic necessity. Netizens now want the project adequately funded, not forgotten. Not to forget, India is still in action mode amidst ongoing Operation Sindoor, a military action against Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terrorist attack. At such a time, Indians want indigenous technology to get priority so that the country does not depend on foreign suppliers in future.
