India's 5th-gen stealth fighter jet dream takes flight: AMCA gets execution nod, prototype by 2026-27

India moves closer to fifth-generation fighter jet capability as Defence Minister approves AMCA programme execution model.

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday approved the execution model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, over a year after the Cabinet Committee on Security cleared its full-scale engineering development.

The AMCA, a fifth-generation fighter jet powered by the GE-414 engine, is expected to have its first prototype ready by 2026-27 and take to the skies by 2028.

Push for Indigenous Defence Capability

With this green light, the DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will soon float an Expression of Interest (EoI), inviting participation from both public and private sector players for the aircraft’s development phase on a competitive basis.

Seen as a major step towards strengthening India’s indigenous defence capabilities and building a resilient domestic aerospace industry, the AMCA programme invites bids from the industry either independently, through joint ventures, or as part of consortia.

A key eligibility criterion mandates that bidders must be Indian companies operating in compliance with national laws and regulations.

A senior defence official described the move as pivotal in leveraging home-grown expertise, infrastructure, and capacity to develop the AMCA prototype — a crucial milestone in advancing the government’s vision of Aatmanirbharta or self-reliance in the aerospace sector.

Long-Term Development Plan

Sanctioned by the government in April 2024, the fully stealth Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme is set to be developed over the next decade. The aircraft is expected to be certified by 2032, with induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF) planned for 2034.

The AMCA, a 25-tonne fighter in the medium-weight category, will initially feature 75 per cent indigenous content — a figure that is projected to rise to 85 per cent in later stages of development.

Notably, GE and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) have already commenced production of the GE F414 jet engines in India. These engines, capable of generating 98 kN of thrust, are being developed to meet timelines for integration with the AMCA airframe.

Once inducted, India will become the fifth nation in the world to possess such advanced fifth-generation fighter jet capabilities. Currently, the United States operates two fifth-generation fighters — the F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning II — while China fields the J-20 and Russia has the Sukhoi-57 in its arsenal.