A day after meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, British engineering powerhouse Rolls‑Royce announced an ambitious plan to deepen its presence across India’s air, land and sea defence sectors.
The company’s CEO Tufan Erginbilgic outlined a roadmap that goes beyond business expansion, it signals a long-term bet on India’s talent and industrial strength. Rolls-Royce plans to more than double its India workforce from around 4,000 to nearly 10,000 employees in the coming years. It also aims to sharply increase sourcing from Indian suppliers, creating fresh opportunities for MSMEs and local manufacturing partners.
At the heart of the expansion is defence collaboration. Rolls-Royce has proposed co-developing a next-generation combat jet engine in India with full transfer of technology, including intellectual property rights and this aligns with India’s push for self-reliance in critical defence technologies. The proposal could play a key role in powering India’s future fighter aircraft programmes.
The company is no stranger to India’s defence ecosystem. More than 1,400 Rolls-Royce engines already power key Indian military platforms, from Jaguar fighter jets and Hawk trainer aircraft to naval vessels and even the Arjun battle tank. The new expansion aims to build on this decades-long partnership.
Beyond defence, Rolls-Royce is looking at strengthening its footprint in civil aerospace, power systems and digital engineering. Its Global Capability and Innovation Centre in Bengaluru is expected to become a hub for advanced engineering and research.