India's Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Agency is expected to soon issue a request for proposals to General Electric and Europe's Eurojet consortium to supply a replacement engine for its Tejas light combat aircraft.
The companies are respectively offering their F414 and EJ200 turbofans to power the indigenous design, with the ADA likely to order 80 engines, with the possibility of a follow-on deal for 80 more. The majority will be produced in India under a licence production and technology transfer agreement.
India's delayed Tejas fighter is expected to enter service with the Indian air force during 2010.