India has achieved a significant milestone in indigenous aerospace propulsion technology with the successful development of its first 350 kg thrust-class Expendable Turbo Jet Engine, designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE). The engine has been successfully manufactured, assembled and delivered by Hyderabad-based Azad Engineering, marking a major step forward in strengthening the country’s defence manufacturing capabilities.
The engine was formally handed over to Dr K Rajalakshmi Menon, Distinguished Scientist and Director General (Aeronautical Systems), DRDO, and Dr SV Ramanamurty, Outstanding Scientist and Director of GTRE, by Rakesh Chopdar, Chief Executive Officer of Azad Engineering, on July 22, 2026. The successful development and delivery of the engine represent the culmination of years of research, precision engineering, advanced manufacturing and close collaboration between India’s defence research organisations and private industry. The project highlights the growing role of domestic companies in supporting the development of advanced aerospace technologies under the country’s drive towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
GTRE, the DRDO laboratory responsible for developing gas turbine engines, selected Azad Engineering as its industry partner for the manufacturing and assembly of the expendable turbojet engine. The collaboration combined GTRE’s indigenous design capabilities with Azad Engineering’s expertise in precision manufacturing and high-quality aerospace production.
Jet engine technology is considered one of the most complex engineering disciplines globally due to the stringent requirements for precision machining, advanced metallurgy, high-temperature materials and manufacturing accuracy. Only a limited number of countries possess the capability to design and manufacture such propulsion systems independently.
The successful realisation of the indigenous turbojet engine demonstrates India’s growing expertise in these advanced technologies and reflects the increasing maturity of the country’s aerospace and defence industrial ecosystem. The achievement also highlights the expanding contribution of the private sector in developing critical defence technologies through partnerships with national research institutions.
The 350 kg thrust-class expendable turbojet engine is expected to support future indigenous defence programmes requiring compact, reliable and high-performance propulsion systems. The successful development of such engines will help reduce dependence on imported propulsion technologies while strengthening India’s capabilities in the design and production of advanced aerospace systems.
The project also aligns with the Government of India’s broader objective of promoting indigenous defence production and encouraging collaboration between public research organisations and private industry. Such partnerships are expected to accelerate technology development, build domestic manufacturing capabilities and create a stronger supply chain for strategic aerospace programmes. The delivery of the engine marks an important achievement for both GTRE and Azad Engineering, demonstrating the ability of Indian organisations to jointly develop and manufacture highly sophisticated propulsion systems that meet demanding defence requirements.
With the successful completion of this programme, India has taken another important step towards strengthening its indigenous aerospace capabilities and advancing self-reliance in critical defence technologies. The milestone reinforces the country’s growing position in advanced engineering and precision manufacturing while supporting the long-term development of indigenous propulsion systems for future aerospace and defence applications.
