NEW DELHI -- India said Wednesday it would be able to make its own cryogenic rocket engines in four years, after the United States stalled a Russian move to transfer such technology to New Delhi.


Bhuvanesh Chaturvedi, minister of state in the Department of Atomic Energy and Space, told parliament the government had approved 3.35 billion rupees ($108 million) for the Cryogenic Upper Stage Project to be tested by the end of 1998. "The project envisages the establishment of the necessary infrastructure and the development, qualification and supply of two flight-worthy cryogenic stages which include the cryogenic engines," Chaturvedi said.


Russia agreed to sell four cryogenic engines to India in March this year with provision for three more if needed, but without transferring their technology, Chaturvedi said. Cryogenic engines use low-temperature fuels such as liquid hydrogen and methane.