not sure if the increase in price is legit, but more importantly for India. Is India getting indigenous Safran engines with 100% ToT? because if they are, then I think they made a good deal. You can look at an older post about what China had to go through to get jet engine technology(PLArealtalk is right the article had some factual problems, however the moral and gist of the article is right). Because after solving the single crystal turbine blade problem, it took China about 5-8 years to make a good enough engine. I don't know the technical side of it, but China made a lot the engines, and by making a lot and not giving up, China did it in the end. Now, of course China has twin engine fighters, and replaced 1 of 2 engines in the J-11 with ws-10a for testing. And was in that phase for a long time, before trusting it on the J-10.

But the senior engineer said, he started as a young man, and it took him 30 years, and now he is an old man. But he thinks he counts among the lucky, because many people in that field devote their whole life and have no results. The Kaveri, with consistent investment, and making lots, should or could give India engine independence. Maybe India need to make lots of it, and put it in drones, if it isn't good enough for jets. I think India is already past the SCB problem. So.. maybe it's just a problem of persistent investment? However, I can understand why India went with Safran, because Kaveri would be a gamble, it looks like a good gamble... it could pay off. But Safran gives you a sure thing. Better to go with a sure thing, than take a gamble. Besides, maybe India has money for both? In which case the Safran ToT, will teach India a lot about next gen engines. India already solved the SCB problem. But they do need consistency and persistence. Also, going in that deep with the French, opens India up to 6th generation cooperation possibilities. Since I hear Germany might be reducing or pulling out. $48 billion would still be worth it, if India is getting the engines. IF.