India has approved the development of its first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh greenlit the prototype program on Tuesday, underscoring India’s drive for self-reliance in the defence sector.
The AMCA will be a twin-engine, stealth-enabled fighter designed and developed by the state-run Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in collaboration with Indian industry partners.
The announcement comes just days after India and Pakistan skirmished with missiles and drones, killing more than 70 people, including civilians, in the neighbouring countries.
It marked the most serious escalation between the two nuclear-armed arch rivals, who have fought multiple wars over the disputed Kashmir region.
Pakistan says it shot down six Indian jets, including French-made Rafales, putting New Delhi in an embarrassing spot as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has spent billions of dollars on propping up the country’s defence. India has neither confirmed nor denied reports about the downing of the jets.
Any confirmed jet downing would not only dent New Delhi’s military prestige, but also signal its miscalculation in assessing Pakistan’s upgraded aerial strength.
India’s jet programme is positioned as a cornerstone in India's broader push to reduce its reliance on foreign arms imports and modernise its military in the face of ongoing security threats.
India has steadily increased defence spending—up 9.5 percent this year to $78.7 billion—and is now among the top five global defence spenders, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The country has also signed high-profile defence deals, including a recent agreement to buy 26 additional Rafale jets from France’s Dassault Aviation.
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