India's AMCA fighter jet programme: Indigenous, ambitious and in urgent need of whole-of-nation approach

Indian Express

a day ago

Written by Sanket Kulkarni
The momentum in aerospace and defence manufacturing in India has been steadily picking up pace over the last five years. The private sector's ability to deliver on critical defence projects has been well tested with programmes in the domain of drones, military transport aircraft, and artillery guns. The collaboration between the government and the private sector reached its peak with the Aeronautical Development Agency recently releasing an Expression of Interest (EOI), inviting companies to participate in the development of a fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). With China unveiling the model of J-35A fifth-generation fighter aircraft at the 55th Edition of the Paris Air Show in 2025 and reports suggesting that work on its sixth-generation fighter aircraft is underway at full speed, there is immense pressure on India to ramp up its efforts in developing indigenous capabilities in the domain of fighter aircraft. Media reports mention that the first prototype of India's AMCA is expected to be tested by 2029, and the aircraft's complete development by 2034.
Predictably, the next few weeks will throw up interesting surprises on how Indian companies work out different permutations and combinations to create credible consortia involving domestic and foreign players to support their respective bids for the AMCA programme. The Defence Acquisition Procedure of 2020 has enumerated several frameworks for the procurement of defence items, including partnerships with foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) possessing superior technology. This, combined with parallel initiatives, programmes, and policies to boost the overall innovation ecosystem, especially in the emerging technologies space, will complement AMCA's development.
With the prospects of greater private sector involvement, the chances of adherence to timelines increase substantially. Having said this, there is a need for the concerned industry participants, end-users and the curating agency to work together in mission mode. More importantly, the successful development of the AMCA programme needs continued political mentorship and support. AMCA is not a routine programme, but a matter of national importance. This is particularly so, considering the range of national security challenges faced by India and disturbing developments in its extended neighbourhood. India, therefore, needs to become self-reliant in defence technology, especially those platforms that will win future wars and ensure our national security. While India's economic prominence and ascendancy on the global stage enable it to access advanced defence platforms, such access is always vulnerable to evolving global geopolitics.
For instance, Russia's dependency on China in the last few years negates the former's ability to completely throw its weight behind India like before. The defence technology cooperation between China and Russia has significantly enhanced, encompassing air defence systems, drones, and critical minerals, etc. China is Russia's largest trading partner and has, over the years, consolidated its cooperation in the energy domain. Similarly, even though India's strategic partnership with the United States has deepened significantly, the latter has a habit of springing unpleasant surprises, especially when it comes to handling Pakistan. The European Union is preoccupied with its own economic and geopolitical woes, compelling it to keep its channels open with everyone, including China.
In lieu of the above context, curating the journey of AMCA requires a whole-of-nation approach. Our experience in developing indigenous defence programmes like the light combat aircraft, UAVs, main battle tanks, and missile programmes has helped create a body of insights on what worked and what did not. The curating agency must revisit some of these projects to derive information on and guidance for AMCA's development journey. AMCA's success will depend on the ability of the curating agency and political leadership to absorb and harmonise diverse sets of challenges, and the capabilities of industry partners, end-users, innovation hubs, and line ministries to steer the programme towards intended outcomes in given timelines.
From a political perspective, big-ticket defence projects have been embroiled in major political controversies, leading to inordinate delays and impacting national security. For this programme, it would serve well if political parties refrain from mudslinging against each other. As per reports, the induction of AMCA is expected to begin from 2035. During this period, it is imperative that political stakeholders demonstrate continuity in steering national efforts to ensure AMCA's success, irrespective of changes in ruling governments at the Centre and at the level of states. With respect to AMCA's development, India needs to showcase a spirit of political cooperation cutting across the ideological spectrum, similar to what we saw in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.
The writer is a defence analyst based in Mumbai