Matching the hype and expectations in the run up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, a joint statement from U.S. and India on June 22 announced that U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the landmark signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between General Electric and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the manufacture of GE F-414 jet engines in India, for the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk 2.
This heralds a major high-technology cooperation between the oldest and largest democracies, which the U.S. has shared with very few of its closest allies. While the most critical technology of the engine will be off limits, details on what all technologies and industrial processes will be transferred to India is still awaited. “This trailblazing initiative to manufacture F-414 engines in India will enable greater transfer of U.S. jet engine technology than ever before. The leaders committed their governments to working collaboratively and expeditiously to support the advancement of this unprecedented co-production and technology transfer proposal,” the statement said.
The U.S. has significant export controls and stringent licensing system for sharing sensitive and niche technologies. So, the deal is not fully done till the U.S. Congress approves it, though with the bipartisan support for India at the Congress officials on both sides have expressed confidence that it would get through.
