India, Sept. 11 -- India may soon approve a joint project by French firm Safran S.A and India's Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE), a lab under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop and produce 120 Kilo Newton engine which will power India's twin engine Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) fighter, a move that comes shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for indigenous development of jet engines from the ramparts of Red Fort during his Independence Day speech, people familiar with the matter said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has also indicated that India will soon embark on the critical task of developing engines for fighter jets. HT learns that Safran-GTRE will develop nine prototypes...