Rajnath Singh Pushes Pentagon Chief On Timely Delivery Of GE-414 Fighter Jet Engines: Sources
India is collaborating with US giant General Electric (GE) to co-produce F-414 jet engines for its Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk2 and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh raised the issue of the timely delivery of F-404 jet engines during talks with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, sources told CNN-News18.
Singh had a phone conversation with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, during which the two leaders had an 'excellent discussion" reviewing ongoing efforts and exploring new initiatives to further strengthen the India-US defence partnership.
India is collaborating with US giant General Electric (GE) to co-produce F-414 jet engines for its Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk2 and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
The deal involves a substantial transfer of technology (ToT) to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), aiming to enhance India's defence manufacturing capabilities and reduce dependence on imports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Rajnath Singh, Hegseth To Sign Next 10-Year India-US Defence Framework
Last Updated: Hegseth emphasized the priority the United States places on India as its key defense partner in South Asia Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his US counterpart Pete Hegseth have agreed to the next ten-year US-India Defence Framework when they next meet this year. Singh and Hegseth held a telephonic conversation on June 1 in which they discussed pending major US defence sales to India and the imperative of close defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. Hegseth emphasised the priority the United States places on India as its key defense partner in South Asia. Secretary Hegseth and Minister Singh reviewed the considerable progress both countries have made toward achieving the defense goals set out in the February 2025 joint statement by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a readout from US Secretary of Defense. According to India's Ministry of Defence, the two leaders discussed a wide canvas of issues ranging from long-term cooperation in the defence sector, including training and military exchanges, to expanding industry collaboration. They agreed to further build upon the momentum of this critical and mutually beneficial partnership across all its pillars such as interoperability, integration of defence industrial supply chains, logistics sharing, increased joint military exercises and cooperation with other like-minded partners. The Defence Minister appreciated the unwavering support extended by the US to India for its fight against terrorism. He complimented the US Secretary of Defense for his dynamic leadership, which has propelled defence cooperation between the US and India to new levels. In a post on X, Rajnath Singh stated that the discussions were held to review the ongoing and new initiatives to further deepen India-US defence partnership and strengthen cooperation in capacity building. He looked forward to meeting the US Secretary of Defense at an early date. This was their third telephonic conversation since January this year when Mr Pete Hegseth was confirmed as US Secretary of Defense. First Published:
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
India To Receive Apache Choppers, Deployment Near Pakistan Border Likely
Last Updated: The AH-64E Apache helicopters, sourced from the United States under a $600 million agreement signed in 2020, were originally slated for delivery by May-June 2024. The long wait for the arrival of Apache attack helicopters may finally be over as the Indian Army intensifies efforts to strengthen combat capabilities along the western front after Operation Sindoor. Notably, the development comes after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had a phone conversation with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, during which the two leaders had an 'excellent discussion" reviewing ongoing efforts to strengthen the India-US defence partnership. The delivery of these advanced helicopters—delayed by more than 15 months—is now expected to commence soon, with deployment aimed at reinforcing western border defences. In March 2024, the Army Aviation Corps established its first Apache squadron in Jodhpur. However, nearly a year and a half later, the unit remains without the helicopters, which were initially scheduled to arrive much earlier. The AH-64E Apache helicopters, sourced from the United States under a $600 million agreement signed in 2020, were originally slated for delivery by May-June 2024. The timeline was later pushed to December 2024 due to disruptions in the supply chain. Sources familiar with the updated schedule told India Today that the Indian Army's Aviation Corps may receive the first batch of these helicopters later this month. According to the initial plan, six Apaches were to be delivered in two batches of three. The first group was expected between May and June 2024, but as of now, none have reached Indian soil, leaving the newly raised squadron awaiting its core assets. Defence Ministry officials attribute the delay to technical issues on the part of the United States. While the first three helicopters are expected within weeks, the remaining three are anticipated to arrive by the end of the year. These helicopters are integral to operations on the western front, offering superior manoeuvrability, precision weaponry, and advanced targeting technology. The Army considers them a key addition to its operational strength. The Indian Air Force has already received 22 Apache helicopters under a separate contract inked in 2015. In contrast, the Army is still awaiting its consignment to enhance its strike capabilities. The Army Aviation Corps provides crucial support to ground forces, and the Apache helicopters are seen as key to strengthening operations—particularly along the western border, where troop presence has grown recently under Operation Sindoor.
Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
Tesla sales fall sharply in Q2 amid stiff competition and backlash over CEO Elon Musk's political activities
Tesla faced another tough quarter, reporting a significant 13.5% drop in global car sales compared to last year. This marks the company's largest-ever yearly decline, with deliveries falling to roughly 384,000 vehicles, nearly 60,000 fewer than last year. Surprisingly, Tesla's stock price climbed about 4% following the news, according to a CNN report. Why the positive reaction? Investors were relieved because many analysts had predicted an even steeper fall than what was seen in the report. This suggests the market was bracing for worse results, making the reported dip, while substantial, seem like a relative win for the electric car giant facing mounting challenges. The sales slump isn't happening in a vacuum. Tesla CEO Elon Musk's increasingly vocal political stances, particularly his initial alignment with former President Trump, sparked widespread protests at Tesla showrooms across the US and Europe. Reports also mention incidents of vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles and facilities, directly hurting the brand's image. While Tesla doesn't split sales by region, vehicle registration data strongly indicates sharp declines in these key Western markets. Beyond the political fallout, Tesla faces intense pressure from growing competition in the electric vehicle sector, not just from traditional automakers like Volkswagen and Ford, but crucially, from Chinese rivals like BYD, which is becoming a stiff competition, on the course to overtaking global EV sales. Chinese automaker BYD has emerged as Tesla's most formidable competitor, recently overtaking it as the world's top seller of pure EVs. Despite not selling in the US, BYD reported selling a massive 1 million pure EVs in just the first half of this year. This beats Tesla's roughly 721,000 deliveries during the same period. This competition is particularly fierce in China, the world's largest EV market and Tesla's second-biggest after the US, where local brands like BYD are gaining significant ground in recent months. While Tesla's Q2 sales did show a 14.1% improvement, the yearly decline and BYD's surge signal a major shift in the global electric vehicle landscape.
