India Approves ₹15,000-Crore Plan for Indigenous 5th-Gen Stealth Fighter Jet
In a major leap toward military self-reliance, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday approved the execution model for India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, a ₹15,000-crore project aimed at developing a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet for the Indian Air Force.
The project, spearheaded by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Ministry, will position India among a select group of nations—currently only the United States and China—that operate fifth-generation combat aircraft.
The AMCA will feature state-of-the-art stealth technology, supercruise capabilities, and advanced avionics, making it one of the most sophisticated aircraft ever developed indigenously in India. The project is expected to drive major growth in the domestic aerospace sector through strategic industrial collaborations.
The Defence Ministry described the approval as a strategic step toward achieving “Aatmanirbharta” (self-reliance) in the aerospace and defence sector.
“In a significant push towards enhancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model,” read an official statement released by the Ministry.
Singh said the move was critical to “harnessing the indigenous expertise, capability and capacity to develop the AMCA prototype.”
The AMCA is a twin-engine, single-seat stealth fighter with multi-role capabilities including air superiority, ground attack, Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD), and electronic warfare (EW).
Designed for all-weather operations, the aircraft will have a maximum take-off weight of 25 tonnes and fly up to 55,000 feet. The Mk1 version will initially use American GE F414 engines, while a more powerful indigenous engine, in collaboration with a foreign partner, is planned for the Mk2 version.
The aircraft will feature internal weapon bays, sensor fusion, and stealth capabilities that reduce radar visibility, enabling deep penetration missions and high survivability in contested airspace.
The AMCA programme has gained momentum following the successful development and deployment of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, India’s first fully indigenous fighter jet.
Last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, granted in-principle approval to begin full-scale development of the AMCA.
The AMCA is seen as critical for replacing ageing aircraft like the Mirage-2000 and MiG-29 in the Indian Air Force. It will also provide a counterbalance to growing regional threats, including China’s J-20 and J-35 fifth-gen fighters and its ongoing sixth-generation aircraft development.
