Can D-Propulse Help India Reduce Its Dependence On Foreign Missile Engine Technology?

For nearly four decades, India has struggled to create its own jet engine, leading to reliance on foreign technology and expensive imports. D-Propulse, founded in 2025 by Saurav Jha and Dr V Ramanujachari, is working on a new propulsion technology that could yield lighter, more efficient engines for high-speed applications. Their rotating detonation engines (RDEs) use supersonic detonation waves to generate thrust, potentially improving fuel efficiency and reducing engine size and complexity.

Jha and Ramanujachari identified gaps in India's indigenous propulsion capabilities during their work on military and strategic affairs. The startup showcased a 5 kN air-breathing RDE test run in July 2026, which completed five ground tests within 24 hours. D-Propulse claims their engine is "15-25% thermally more efficient" than conventional air-breathing jet engines and could be produced at scale.

The global scramjet market is valued at over $500 Mn in 2025 and projected to exceed $2.4 Bn by 2030, with D-Propulse aiming to capture a share of the nascent RDE opportunity. However, competition from established global players such as GE Aerospace and Lockheed Martin, as well as Venus Aerospace and US-based Venus Aerospace, poses challenges.

The startup aims to differentiate itself on performance, pricing, and commercial execution, with plans for a 5,000+ sq ft combustor test facility at IIT Madras, a liquid-hydrocarbon combustion test, and limited series production by the end of 2028. D-Propulse is also exploring a revenue stream through renting out its infrastructure for domestic testing to reduce reliance on overseas labs and speed up development.

The startup has yet to secure paying customers and validate its cost and efficiency advantages, making the next big challenge moving beyond successful ground tests to engines that meet real-world defence requirements and securing customers willing to pay for them.