Fully committed to indigenously producing 5th generation stealth fighter: Rajnath at Aero India

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.

- Rahul Singh

"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.