India approves ₹15,000-crore plan to develop fifth-gen stealth fighter jet under AMCA project

India has taken a significant step towards joining the elite club of nations operating fifth-generation stealth fighter jets. On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the execution model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project — a major indigenous programme aimed at building a state-of-the-art, multi-role stealth fighter for the Indian Air Force.

Once operational, the AMCA will place India alongside the United States and China, currently the only two countries to field such advanced fighter jets. The government has earmarked ₹15,000 crore for the initial phase, which includes prototype development, testing, and industrial partnerships. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will lead the programme, supported by strategic private and public sector firms.

The AMCA will be a twin-engine, single-seat, all-weather stealth fighter with a wide range of combat capabilities, including air dominance, ground attacks, electronic warfare, and SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defences). Its design will feature supercruise ability, sensor fusion, advanced avionics, and an internal weapons bay to maintain radar invisibility.

This project is a natural progression from India’s experience with the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, which proved its indigenous aeronautical design capability. While the Mk1 AMCA will use US-made GE F414 engines, the Mk2 version will incorporate a more powerful, jointly developed indigenous engine.

The government has called AMCA a critical pillar of India's “Aatmanirbharta” mission, aiming to boost defence manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign technologies in aerospace.