India has reached a critical milestone in its cruise missile development program as BrahMos Aerospace begins scaling production of the Manik Small Turbofan Engine (STFE) designed by Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE). The indigenous turbofan engine will power India’s Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) and the Nirbhay Cruise Missile, replacing the Russian NPO Saturn 36MT engine and strengthening India’s defence self-reliance.

According to program updates, eight Manik engines have already been delivered to GTRE, out of a total order of 25 units placed to support testing and integration of India’s next-generation long-range cruise missiles.

The Manik STFE represents India’s first indigenous small turbofan engine specifically designed for long-range subsonic cruise missiles. Developed by GTRE, the engine provides 4.25–4.50 kN of thrust, enabling sustained low-altitude flight for land-attack cruise missile platforms.

This propulsion system is expected to power the next generation of missiles derived from the Nirbhay Cruise Missile program, including the ITCM and the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile currently under development.

From Kits to Fully Assembled Engines

A major shift in production strategy will begin with the 10th Manik engine delivered to GTRE.

Until now, BrahMos Aerospace has supplied the engines in kit form, allowing GTRE engineers to assemble and validate subsystems during developmental testing. However, starting from the 10th production unit, BrahMos Aerospace will begin supplying fully assembled engines.

This transition marks a critical milestone. It effectively transforms BrahMos Aerospace from a component supplier into a full-scale turbofan production facility, significantly accelerating the pace of cruise missile integration.

Fully assembled engines will reduce assembly time for missile programs and allow faster integration into operational platforms, helping India move from prototype testing toward serial missile production.

Ending Dependence on Foreign Cruise Missile Engines

For years, India relied on the Russian 36MT turbofan engine produced by NPO Saturn to power early versions of the Nirbhay cruise missile.

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The introduction of the Manik STFE marks a major step toward complete propulsion autonomy.

By replacing the imported 36MT engine with a domestically developed turbofan, India removes a key foreign dependency from its long-range cruise missile ecosystem. This shift strengthens supply chain security while enabling faster development of future missile variants.

The indigenous propulsion capability also supports India’s broader push toward strategic defence self-reliance under the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Technical Specifications: Manik Small Turbofan Engine (STFE)

One of the engine’s key technological features is the indigenous FADEC system, which enables precise digital control over fuel flow, thrust output, and engine health monitoring during missile flight.

Strategic Impact for India

The Manik STFE represents a major technological achievement for India’s missile propulsion ecosystem.

Developing a compact turbofan engine suitable for cruise missiles is considered one of the most complex challenges in aerospace engineering. With the successful development and production of the Manik engine, India joins a small group of countries capable of producing such propulsion systems domestically.

This capability will allow India to scale production of long-range land-attack cruise missiles, strengthening its conventional deterrence and precision strike capabilities.

The move toward full domestic production also ensures that future missile programs will not face delays caused by foreign export restrictions or supply chain disruptions.

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Future Outlook: BrahMos Aerospace Expansion and Mass Production

To support long-term engine production, the Kerala government has allocated 180 acres of land in Thiruvananthapuram for the expansion of BrahMos Aerospace’s manufacturing infrastructure.

Once fully operational, the facility is expected to produce up to 12 Manik engines per year, supporting the deployment of new cruise missile systems across the Indian armed forces.

The expansion signals that India is preparing for large-scale production of indigenous cruise missiles, marking a transition from experimental programs to operational weapon systems.