India may ditch US for French jet engines
India is now considering French-made jet engines for its new fighter jets after talks with the US slowed down.
Discussions are underway with France's Safran SA, but it's still up in the air whether India will just buy the engines or team up for joint production.
Originally, the plan was to use US-made GE F-414 engines for the Tejas Mark-2, and during Biden's time in office, India and the US agreed to jointly manufacture these engines.
Move to reduce reliance on Russian defense gear
This shift is part of India's bigger move to rely less on Russian defense gear and build more at home.
Nearly 200 Tejas Mark-2 jets are set to replace older aircraft as tensions with Pakistan continue.
India's also opening up advanced warplane manufacturing to private companies, aiming to boost local industry and cut back on imports—while maintaining ongoing defense engagements with both the US and France.