“#FundKaveriEngine”: How a Forgotten Jet Engine Project Became a National Movement for Defence Self-Reliance

By Ronald Kapper
Published on July 7, 2025

Introduction

A campaign that began as a modest online effort to revive India’s long-stalled Kaveri jet engine has erupted into a nationwide grassroots movement. The hashtag #FundKaveriEngine is now trending across social platforms, sparking rare public enthusiasm for an indigenous defence technology project. In a country often divided by politics, the call for funding the Kaveri engine project has united citizens, defence veterans, and technocrats under a single vision — true defence self-reliance.

This article explores how a dormant military project became the focus of India’s online activism, its implications on political discourse, the future of indigenous aerospace development, and the very real economic and geopolitical stakes involved.

The Forgotten Engine: What Is the Kaveri Project?

The Kaveri engine was conceived in the 1980s by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with the ambitious aim to power India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), now known as the Tejas. It was envisioned to be India's first domestically designed and built turbofan jet engine capable of competing with Western counterparts.

However, by the early 2010s, the Kaveri program had fallen behind schedule, plagued by technical hurdles, funding shortages, and shifting defence priorities. The engine failed to meet the thrust requirements for the Tejas Mk-1 fighter jet, leading to its quiet shelving in favor of imported GE F404 engines from the United States.

For years, the Kaveri project remained in the background — a symbol of unfulfilled ambition in India’s defence ecosystem.

The Social Media Spark: How #FundKaveriEngine Took Off

It all began with a Twitter thread in early June 2025 by a group of young aerospace engineers from Bengaluru, who posted technical comparisons of the Kaveri engine’s current prototype and its potential upgrades with the GE F414 — the engine selected for Tejas Mk-2. The post went viral, quickly garnering attention from science influencers, defence analysts, and eventually political commentators.

The hashtag #FundKaveriEngine began trending nationally by mid-June. Posts ranged from calls to action and open letters to the Ministry of Defence to infographics breaking down the cost-benefit analysis of indigenously building the engine versus long-term dependence on foreign suppliers.

What made the campaign unique was its organic origin. It wasn’t backed by any political party or corporate lobby — rather, it was fueled by students, veterans, and common citizens. People shared stories about India's past technological feats, invoking ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission as an example of what public belief and government backing can achieve together.

Why Now? The Timing Behind the Movement

The resurgence of interest in the Kaveri project isn’t occurring in a vacuum. Several factors have converged:

1. Rising Geopolitical Uncertainty: With global tensions increasing — including strained ties between India and China — the need for defence independence has never felt more urgent.

2. Public Fatigue with Defence Imports: The recent deal for 100+ foreign fighter engines, though strategically sound, reignited old concerns about India’s continued import-dependence for critical defence technologies.

3. Make in India 2.0: The government’s renewed push for indigenous manufacturing, including in aerospace and defence, provided fertile ground for the campaign to gain momentum.

4. Youth-Led Nationalism: Young Indians, especially those in STEM fields, have become more vocal about self-reliance. Platforms like Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn are seeing spirited discussions about indigenous tech.

From Hashtag to Policy Push: Political Ramifications

Though the campaign started apolitically, it has quickly entered the national political conversation. Several Members of Parliament have expressed support, with some even raising the issue in Lok Sabha.

• MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a long-time supporter of defence innovation, tweeted:
  “India deserves an indigenous jet engine. We can make it happen. Let's not let Kaveri fade into history. #FundKaveriEngine”

• Defence think tanks have begun publishing white papers urging the government to establish a special Kaveri Engine Revival Task Force, proposing public-private partnerships and transparent timelines.

Meanwhile, opposition parties have begun using the campaign to highlight delays and underfunding in defence R&D — adding an election-year dimension to what began as a citizen-led push.

The Economic Case: Why Funding Kaveri Makes Sense

Reviving the Kaveri engine isn’t just a matter of national pride; it also makes economic sense.

1. Cost Savings Over Time: Licensing foreign engines may seem cost-effective initially, but maintenance, upgrades, and replacements over the next two decades could cost billions.

2. Exports and Global Partnerships: An indigenously developed engine opens up export possibilities. India could potentially provide engine platforms to countries seeking cost-effective defence solutions.

3. Job Creation: Reviving the Kaveri would require ramping up manufacturing, testing facilities, academic partnerships, and more — creating thousands of skilled jobs in aerospace, metallurgy, software, and mechanical engineering.

Technical Challenges and Roadmap

To be clear, the Kaveri engine is not yet ready to power fighter jets. DRDO acknowledges it requires at least five years of sustained effort and funding to develop a fully operational military-grade version.

Current Status:

• Thrust Deficit: The current prototype falls short by ~15% thrust needed for Tejas Mk-2.

• Afterburner Integration: Needs refinement for sustained supersonic performance.

• Weight & Efficiency: The engine is currently heavier than global equivalents.

Suggested Roadmap:

• Collaborate with foreign aerospace players under tech-transfer conditions.

• Establish a Kaveri Innovation Consortium involving DRDO, HAL, and private-sector partners like L&T and Bharat Forge.

• Open parts of the project for crowdfunding research grants and public monitoring via a central portal to ensure transparency and accountability.

Looking Ahead: More Than an Engine

Whether or not the government officially revives the Kaveri engine in the upcoming budget, one thing is clear: the citizenry now demands a stake in India’s defence future. This movement isn’t just about a jet engine anymore. It’s about whether India can break free from a cycle of technological dependence and finally build a defence ecosystem that is self-sustaining.

In many ways, the #FundKaveriEngine campaign may be a test case for the larger question facing India's democracy in the 21st century: Can the will of the people fuel a sovereign future in science and defence?