NEW DELHI, July 23, 2026 — India’s aerospace and defense sector reached a landmark milestone following the successful development and delivery of the country’s first indigenous 350 kg thrust class Expendable Turbo Jet Engine. Designed by the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE)—a premier lab under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)—the engine was manufactured and assembled in partnership with Hyderabad-based Azad Engineering. The completed engine was formally delivered to GTRE on July 22, 2026, marking the culmination of years of advanced precision engineering and close collaboration between India’s scientific and industrial sectors.
The successful realization of this complex system underscores the rapidly expanding technological capabilities of the Indian defense industry. Mastering jet engine technology—a domain held by only a few nations globally—requires exceptional precision, sophisticated metallurgy, and uncompromising manufacturing standards. The engine was officially handed over to Director General (Aeronautical Systems) K Rajalakshmi Menon and Director GTRE SV Ramanamurty by Azad Engineering CEO Rakesh Chopdar. Commending the accomplishment, DRDO Chairman and Defence R&D Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh highlighted that the strong synergy between GTRE and private industry was instrumental in transforming this high-tech vision into a historic national achievement.