Rolls-Royce sets sights on India as next global growth hub

NEW DELHI: Rolls-Royce is warming up its engines for a much bigger role in India. The British engineering major says it wants to turn the country into one of its key global home markets, signalling a sharp expansion across defence, aerospace and advanced engineering.

Speaking to PTI, Rolls-Royce India executive vice president Sashi Mukundan, said the company is planning a major investment to tap opportunities spanning jet engines, naval propulsion, land systems and high-end manufacturing.

At the heart of the plan is a bold ambition. Rolls-Royce wants to help build India’s next generation of combat aircraft engines. Developing a future-ready aero engine in India to power jets under the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme is a top priority, Mukundan said.

The move reflects India’s growing weight in the global defence and aerospace map. Rolls-Royce already treats the US and Germany as home markets alongside the UK, thanks to deep manufacturing and engineering footprints in both countries. India, the company believes, is ready to join that club.

Beyond fighter jets, Rolls-Royce sees strong potential in powering naval vessels and supporting land-based defence systems, while also expanding its engineering and technology capabilities on Indian soil.

For India, the pitch is clear. More local design, deeper technology partnerships and a louder role in shaping the future of military and industrial propulsion. For Rolls-Royce, it is about more than business. It is about planting roots in a market that is moving fast and thinking big.

If the plan takes off, India may soon find itself not just buying engines, but helping design the ones that drive tomorrow’s machines.