Kaveri Engine Development Project

Under Development

The Kaveri Engine is an indigenous jet engine developed by India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) under DRDO. It is a low-bypass, twin-spool turbofan engine designed to produce around 80 kN of thrust, initially intended to power the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The project aims to reduce India's dependence on foreign fighter jet engines and promote self-reliance in defence technology. The engine features a flat-rated design to minimize thrust loss in high-temperature and high-speed conditions and includes a twin-lane Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system for precise control. The project started in the 1980s but faced delays due to technical challenges, sanctions, and collaboration issues. A derivative version is now being developed for UAVs like the Ghatak stealth UCAV, with recent progress in in-flight testing and private sector involvement.