NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday green-lighted the 'Made in India' fighter jet programme to produce a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA).
India has been working on the ambitious AMCA project to develop a medium-weight, deep-penetration fighter jet with advanced stealth capabilities to bolster its air power.
The AMCA, along with the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), is expected to form the backbone of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the coming decades.
"In a significant push towards enhancing India's indigenous defence capabilities and fostering a robust domestic aerospace industrial ecosystem, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model," the ministry of defence said.
The ministry added that private sector companies are invited to participate in the project.
"They can bid either independently or as a joint venture or as consortia. The entity/bidder should be an Indian company compliant with the laws and regulations of the country," the ministry said in a statement.
The development also comes amid heightened tensions with Pakistan following Operation Sindoor which claimed over 100 terrorists.
The government has focused on enhancing India’s air power, especially in light of China's rapid advancements in the domain.
Meanwhile, China now accounts for over 80% of Pakistan's arms imports.
A recent US intelligence report claimed that Pakistan is the "primary recipient" of China’s economic and military generosity and foreign materials and technology supporting Pakistan's armed forces are very likely acquired primarily from suppliers in China.
"Foreign materials and technology supporting Pakistan’s WMD programs are very likely acquired primarily from suppliers in China, and sometimes are transshipped through Hong Kong, Singapore, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. However, terrorist attacks targeting Chinese workers who support China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects has emerged as a point of friction between the countries; seven Chinese nationals were killed in Pakistan in 2024," it added.
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Why India is fighting a Pakistan armed by China"Pakistan primarily is a recipient of China’s economic and military largesse, and Pakistani forces conduct multiple combined military exercises every year with China’s PLA, including a new air exercise completed in November 2024," the report said.
Last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, granted in-principle approval to the AMCA programme. The indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet project is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening the IAF’s combat capabilities.
The estimated development cost of the AMCA project stands at approximately Rs 15,000 crore.
The IAF has long advocated for the AMCA programme, given its long-term strategic requirements and the absence of a fifth-generation fighter jet in its current fleet. In contrast, China has already inducted its Chengdu J-20 jets, which it claims to be fifth-generation air superiority fighters with precision strike capabilities.
India’s confidence in the AMCA initiative received a major boost following the successful development of the LCA Tejas.
Developed by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Tejas has proven to be a capable platform for air combat and offensive missions, with secondary roles in reconnaissance and anti-ship operations.
Meanwhile, the IAF is also in the process of acquiring 114 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) to enhance its operational readiness. In April 2019, the IAF issued a Request for Information (RFI) for the procurement, estimated at around USD 18 billion. The MRFA deal is considered one of the largest military procurement programmes globally in recent years.