Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday threw his weight behind India’s ambitious plan to develop an indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, or the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA), to meet the future needs of the Indian Air Force.
“We have taken a firm resolve to manufacture the fifth-generation fighter aircraft within the country,” Singh said at a curtain raiser to Aero India 2025, the five-day airshow which begins here on Monday. He will inaugurate the airshow — Asia’s biggest — at the Yelahanka airbase.
One of the highlights of the airshow will be the display by the Russian Su-57 and American F-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters.
Last March, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the highly anticipated project for the design and prototype development of the AMCA at a cost of around ₹15,000 crore. The project involves the design and development of five twin-engine AMCA prototypes, with the stealth fighter likely to go into production only after a decade.
The IAF’s modernisation map envisages the deployment of around 120 stealth fighters (six squadrons) 2035 onwards, with the advanced planes forming an important element of future air combat.
India is not only capable of designing and developing major platforms and equipment, but it has also a vast local supply chain, Singh said. “Advanced platforms like light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas, light combat helicopter Prachand, and C-295 (transport aircraft) are now being produced in India. These achievements, which once seemed unimaginable, are now turning into reality,” he said.
His comments come at a time when India has recorded the highest ever growth in the value of local defence production in the financial year 2024-25 on the back of enabling policy measures, with the figure crossing ₹1.27 lakh crore mark and poised to exceed ₹1.6 lakh crore in 2025-26. Similarly, the country’s defence exports are expected to cross the ₹30,000-crore mark by the end of 2025-26, compared to ₹21,000 crore in 2024-25.
“I am confident that Aero India will further accelerate our journey towards self-reliance in defence production,” the minister said.
“Through Aero India, we are not just showcasing our defence capabilities but also strengthening partnerships and collaborations. Our goal is to enhance collaboration in areas of common interest with our friendly nations, fostering deeper cooperation and shared progress.” The airshow will be attended by defence ministers of 30 countries and around 120 CEOs, including 50 heading foreign original equipment manufacturers.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Agency and state-run plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be involved in the AMCA project, which will be developed in two phases.
“We are committed to the AMCA programme and work is going on in that direction,” defence production secretary Sanjeev Kumar said at the curtain raiser.
The first two squadrons will consist of the Mk-1 version of AMCA powered by the American F-414 engines, while the remaining four squadrons will have the more advanced Mk-2 version equipped with an even more powerful engine to be built in India with foreign collaboration.
HAL is negotiating a deal with US firm GE Aerospace for the joint production of F414 engines in India. The two firms signed a memorandum of understanding in Washington in June 2023 to produce 99 F414 engines for India’s future LCA Mk-2 programme. Also, French engine maker Safran is willing to transfer 100% technology to build fighter jet engines in the country.
The 25-tonne AMCA will be a swing-role fighter with stealth features to increase survivability in combat, advanced avionics, smart weapons stored internally, top-end mission computers, 360-degree situational awareness, and super-cruise capability that will allow it to fly at supersonic speeds for extended periods without kicking in fuel-guzzling afterburners.
India was earlier planning to co-develop a stealth fighter with Russia, but the proposed fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project was abandoned after the IAF expressed strong reservations over cost and limited technology transfer.
The Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who flew with army chief General Upendra Dwivedi in a two-seater trainer version of LCA-Mk1 on Sunday, will fly in a formation of three LCA Mk-1s on Monday. Nari Shakti (women power) will also be on display on the opening day of the airshow. Women fighter pilots will be part of the three-aircraft Shakti formation involving a Rafale and two Sukhoi-30s on Monday.
More than 70 aircraft will take part in the flying display during the airshow, while another 30 will form part of the static display.
The inclusion of both the Su-57 and F-35 highlights India’s position as a key hub for international defence and aerospace collaboration, the defence ministry said in a statement. “Aero India will provide a rare side-by-side comparison of eastern and western fifth-generation fighter technology, offering defence analysts and military personnel valuable insights into their respective capabilities,” it added.