India moves closer to 5th-generation fighter as major defense giants collaborate on the AMCA effort. India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project appears to be on a fast track, with significant efforts from all major Indian conglomerates. The partnership will work with companies such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), Adani Defence, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and Dynamatic Technologies, among others. The ambitious indigenous program aims to build a world-class, fifth-generation stealth fighter jet to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) by mid-2030s, as part of India’s quest for defence modernisation and aerospace self-reliance.
The AMCA project is the largest-ever military research and development initiative in Indian history, with a budget of nearly ₹15,000 crore earmarked for its design, engineering, and prototype development. Two companies will ultimately be selected to split this fund, and each will manufacture five prototypes of the highest quality. The plan is for that first flight to occur by the early 2030s, followed by serial production kicking in around 2035. The design will feature several state-of-the-art technologies, including advanced stealth features, internal weapons, and the ability to cruise at supersonic speeds (super cruise, among others). It will also feature P. Pakistani-developedar with those of the fifth-generation US F-35 Lightning II aircraft and the Russian Su-57.
Under this initiative, cooperation between India and France’s aerospace company Safran will, of course, be a significant milestone, as the two companies design and produce fighter jet engines in India. This Indo-French joint venture will radically transform the majority of Indian defense manufacturing, with the potential to develop indigenous engine variants in the future.
The L&T and BEL-led consortium has, in fact, roped in Dynamatic Technologies, specializing in aerostructure production, to bolster its bid and provide an all-encompassing engineering solution for the AMCA. It’s not just about making a fighter, but also about altering India’s aerospace industry.
It would put India in an exclusive club of countries with fifth-generation stealth technology, boosting its air force, which is expected to reach 42 squadrons by 2035, when it puts some new fighters into service — about 450 aircraft, many powered by locally developed engines. It is expected to be one of the most significant defense contracts in India’s history, running into lakhs of crores.
India’s defense giants working together on the AMCA is a significant step toward the country’s goal of achieving technological independence in defense. The AMCA will be a next-generation fighter jet that will significantly improve India’s air power and strategic deterrence capabilities.