Rolls-Royce takes its board to India for the first time as AMCA fighter jet engine bet with Reliance grows

Rolls-Royce is stepping up its India push. The British aero-engine maker has held its board meeting in the country for the first time and is pitching itself as a strategic partner for energy security, defence and infrastructure growth.

CEO Tufan Erginbilgic met Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the three-day visit. They discussed the company's long-term plans for India and how it can support the country's priorities across defence, aerospace and energy, according to a company statement reported by PTI.

Also read: Rolls-Royce eyes India engine MRO facility, explores aero gas turbine complex and SMR opportunities


"India is very important to Rolls-Royce and our long-term growth ambitions. We want to deepen our role as a strategic partner supporting energy security, infrastructure growth, national security and connectivity, contributing to economic growth for India," Erginbilgic said.

He said the company's focus runs from developing sovereign aero-engine capability to exploring new opportunities in power and propulsion. The aim, he added, is to build partnerships and capabilities that create lasting value for both India and Rolls-Royce.

Board meets India team, visits Bengaluru centre

Chair Dame Anita Frew and the board of directors met Rolls-Royce's India leadership team and government stakeholders during the visit.

They also toured the company's Global Capability and Innovation Centre in Bengaluru. Teams from engineering, defence, global business services, and digital and IT showed the range of work delivered from India.

The company said the decision to hold the meeting in India reflects the country's growing importance to its business. It added that its plans build on a decades-long presence, established industrial partnerships, a growing engineering footprint and an expanding manufacturing and supply chain ecosystem.

AMCA engine at the centre of the push

The biggest India-specific bet is the fighter engine. In August, Rolls-Royce and Reliance Industries announced their strategic intent to partner on the design, development, manufacturing and delivery of a sovereign combat engine for India's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme. The AMCA is India's fifth-generation stealth fighter, being developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency under the DRDO.

The partnership envisages a dedicated Aerospace Gas Turbine Complex in India, anchored by the AMCA engine programme. It is meant to be a complete sovereign aero-engine ecosystem covering design, development, manufacturing, testing, production and through-life support. Over time, it could also support future military, naval and civil aerospace needs.

The August announcement was a statement of intent. The two companies have said they will explore setting up the complex, so the project is still at an early stage.

Second meeting with PM in 2026

This is not the first time Erginbilgic has met Modi this year. They met in New Delhi in February, when the Prime Minister said in a post on X that India welcomed Rolls-Ro​yce's enthusiasm for scaling up its activities in the country.

Also read: Reliance Industries, Rolls-Royce to partner on indigenous AMCA combat engine

Last October, Erginbilgic was part of the industry delegation during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's India visit. The company said then that it had "deep ambitions" to develop India as a home market.

Presence across sectors

Beyond combat aerospace, Rolls-Royce has a significant presence in India across civil aviation, defence and power systems. The company said it is pursuing opportunities that deepen its role in India's Viksit Bharat ambitions for self-reliance in defence and energy, while also supporting the growth of civil aviation, infrastructure and industry.

(With inputs from PTI)