After Years Of Delays, Defence Ministry Greenlights India's 5th Generation AMCA Fighter Jet; Approves Funds Worth Rs 15,000 Crore

Finally, after years of discussions and delays, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Thursday (7 March) has sanctioned funds for India's fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) stealth fighter jet.

Spearheaded by the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO's) lab Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in collaboration with a mix of private and public sector entities, the funds sanctioned for the project are approximately Rs 15,000 crore.

The plan includes constructing about five prototypes within the next five years.

Industry partners, including the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), are expected to participate in the production of the prototype.

The government has been actively pursuing the advancement of domestic technologies and the military manufacturing sector.

The Defence Ministry anticipates that this fifth-generation aircraft project will create hundreds of thousands of jobs and that orders from the Indian Air Force (IAF) could yield business worth hundreds of billions of rupees for Indian firms, in addition to creating widespread employment opportunities.

The AMCA Mk-1 is anticipated to be introduced into operational roles after 2030, with the first two squadrons expected to be equipped with GE-414 engines.

Discussions are ongoing with France and Britain regarding the co-development of more potent engines for the AMCA Mk-2 (an even advanced version of AMCA).

India plans to order over 200 of these advanced fifth-generation fighters into its arsenal.

Also Read: AMCA At Aero India 2023: How The Building Blocks Of India's Stealth Fighter Are Taking Shape