Race to build India’s first stealth fighter gathers pace
Speeding up the AMCA programme is critical as China has already deployed the J-20 fifth-generation fighters, it is rolling out the J-35 stealth fighters that Pakistan is looking at buying, and it has tested two so-called sixth-generation platforms designated J-36 and J-50
NEW DELHI: Private sector firm Goodluck India Ltd on Wednesday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Ltd and Axiscades Technologies to compete for the development of India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.
“This strategic partnership aligns with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) initiative, aiming to strengthen indigenous defence capabilities. By combining strengths in engineering, systems integration, electronics, and defence manufacturing, the consortium is poised to contribute significantly to India’s strategic autonomy and establish the country as a hub for next-generation aerospace innovation,” the firm said in a statement.
The consortium is the latest group of firms that has submitted a response to a call for expressions of interest (EoI) by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) for building prototypes and supporting flight test and certification of the indigenous stealth fighter or the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
On September 24, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) announced a strategic partnership with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to compete for the programme. Those eyeing it include firms such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Adani Defence and Aerospace, and Tata Advanced Systems Limited.
The ADA invited EOI in June to shortlist Indian companies to kick-start the stealth fighter project, weeks after the defence ministry unveiled its plan to fast-track the development of AMCA and announced that the execution model will be competitive and provide equal opportunities to public and private sector firms. The ADA, which comes under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is executing the programme through industry partnership.
“This collaboration marks another defining milestone for Goodluck India Ltd, and also for the broader vision of indigenous aerospace excellence. Our partnership with BrahMos Aerospace and Axiscades is rooted in a shared commitment to innovation, national security, and self-reliance. By bringing together our proven strengths in defence-grade manufacturing and engineering, we are poised to play a critical role in one of India’s most ambitious and strategic defence programmes,” the firm’s chairman Mahesh Chandra Garg said.
After evaluating the responses to the EOI, ADA will issue a request for quotation to the firms and evaluate their responses before negotiating a contract with one of them for building five prototypes and one structural test specimen. The entity must be capable of setting up a manufacturing facility for the series production of AMCA, and the duration of the contract for development, prototyping, flight test and certification should not exceed eight years.
The first prototype is expected to make its maiden flight in 2029, and AMCA’s development is likely to be completed by 2034 before it enters production a year later.
Speeding up the AMCA programme is critical as China has already deployed the J-20 fifth-generation fighters, it is rolling out the J-35 stealth fighters that Pakistan is looking at buying, and it has tested two so-called sixth-generation platforms designated J-36 and J-50.
Last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the AMCA’s design and prototype development at a cost of around ₹15,000 crore. The IAF’s modernisation map envisages the deployment of around 120 stealth fighters (six squadrons) 2035 onwards.
