India will co-develop and manufacture a new 110-kilonewton fighter-jet engine with France’s Safran, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday. The propulsion system is intended for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Mk2, a fifth-generation stealth fighter under development by India’s aerospace agencies. Singh added that preparations have begun to build fifth-generation fighter aircraft entirely in India and to expand domestic production of aircraft engines. The collaboration with Safran is expected to establish engine-manufacturing facilities in the country, bolstering an indigenous supply chain while tapping French technology. The initiative forms part of New Delhi’s broader push for defence self-reliance, which already includes the locally designed Tejas light combat aircraft. According to Singh, a stronger domestic defence sector will help safeguard national security and support uninterrupted economic development.