Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal has announced a hiring drive for his new venture LAT Aerospace, aiming to build India’s first flight-ready, privately developed gas turbine engines. Through a recent LinkedIn post, Goyal invited engineers and propulsion experts to join a mission that, in his words, is “Made in India. Flight ready. World-class.”
The deeptech lab, based in Bengaluru, will not function like a typical corporate setup. Goyal explained that the facility will focus on hands-on research and development: “We are hiring a propulsion research team for building gas turbine engines from scratch.”
He made it clear that the lab’s culture would reject bureaucracy, stating — “No slides. No bureaucracy. No chasing meetings. Just hands-on problem solving with the best engineers in the country.”
Equipped with a full-stack engine lab, the team will work on turbomachinery, combustion systems, thermal subsystems, and high-performance aerospace materials. According to Goyal, the goal is to “build a future where we build world-class propulsion systems in India,” and reduce dependency on foreign engine makers.
And for those still unsure, his final line says it all: “Join to be part of something that could rewrite history.”
India Tried Before. LAT Wants to Finish It.
This isn’t India’s first attempt at building gas turbine engines. In the past, public sector bodies like DRDO and GTRE (Gas Turbine Research Establishment) have made significant efforts. Most popular the Kaveri engine project for India’s fighter jets.
But years of technical and coordination challenges meant that India was still dependent on foreign-made engines for both defense and commercial aircraft.
What LAT is aiming to do now — as a private startup — is different in speed, execution, and approach. Goyal’s startup is designed like a research-first lab, led by engineers and not bureaucracy. If successful, this could place India among the few countries with home-grown jet engine capabilities.
What Exactly Is a Gas Turbine Engine?
In simple terms, a gas turbine engine is the powerhouse behind most modern airplanes. It pulls in air, compresses it, mixes it with fuel, ignites it, and uses the high-speed exhaust to generate thrust.
These engines are extremely complex and expensive to design, test, and build. That’s why only a few global players — like Rolls Royce, GE, and Safran — dominate this space.
If India can build its own — especially through a private initiative — it would be a historic leap for aerospace innovation in the country.
LAT Aerospace: Backed by Goyal’s Vision and ₹165 Cr Funding
LAT Aerospace (Light and Advanced Technologies Aerospace) is one of Deepinder Goyal’s new ventures where he’s investing $20 million (~₹165 Cr) from his personal capital.
This is part of a broader vision where Goyal is backing deep-tech and national capability-building startups, including previous investments in companies like Pixxel (satellite tech) and others.
With LAT, he isn’t just writing a cheque — he’s actively shaping its direction. By inviting engineers who’ve worked on turbines, rotors, or control systems, Goyal is calling for India’s best minds to solve one of the hardest engineering challenges — and perhaps, rewrite history.
Interested engineers can apply through engines@lat.com.
