The GTRE has highlighted significant underfunding of the Kaveri engine program, receiving only $239 million since 1983, compared to billions for global counterparts. This financial constraint has limited the Kaveri’s development into a viable engine for India’s indigenous fighter jets, such as the Tejas and upcoming AMCA. Critics emphasize that a more substantial investment, potentially around $12 billion, could have made the Kaveri a competitive alternative to foreign engines, thus enhancing India’s self-reliance. Despite recent progress with the Kaveri Derivative Engine, the program underscores the challenges India faces in balancing ambitious defense goals with fiscal realities, necessitating a reevaluation of funding priorities.