The AMCA is India's indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, twin-engine and IAF-bound, targeting first flight in 2028–29 and induction by 2035. In 2026, the programme hit three milestones: private firms Tata, L&T, and Bharat Forge were shortlisted over state-owned HAL, and France's Safran signed on to co-develop its next engine.
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The full-scale engineering model of India's AMCA stealth fighter, built by Hyderabad-based VEM Technologies using entirely indigenous composite materials, on public display for the first time at Aero India 2025, Yelahanka Air Force Station, Bengaluru. | Photo: DRDO / Ministry of Defence
| What It Is | Indigenous 5th-gen stealth fighter, twin-engine, single-seat |
| Built By | Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), under DRDO |
| Lead Integrators | Tata Advanced Systems, L&T, Bharat Forge (HAL excluded, Feb 2026) |
| Programme Cost (Phase 1) | ₹15,000 Cr |
| Engine (Mk-1) | GE F414-GE-INS6 (USA) |
| Engine (Mk-2) | 120 kN-class turbofan, co-developed with Safran (France) — ₹61,000 Cr |
| Prototype Rollout | 2026–27 |
| First Flight Target | 2028–29 |
| IAF Induction | 2034–35 |
| Aircraft Planned | 120+ (six squadrons initially) |
| Export Status | Planned post-2035, pending government clearance |
What Is the AMCA Fighter Jet?
The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is India's indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). If successful, it will make India only the fourth country in the world — after the United States, Russia, and China — to design and build its own fifth-generation combat aircraft entirely from scratch.
The AMCA is a twin-engine, single-seat, medium-weight, multi-role platform built for the Indian Air Force (IAF). What sets it apart from India's previous fighter project, the Tejas LCA, is the leap in ambition: internal weapons bays for stealth preservation, radar-absorbent materials (RAM) across its airframe, an advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and the capability for supercruise — sustaining supersonic speeds without afterburner, a defining trait of true 5th-generation fighters.
ADA's own documentation describes it as a "5.5-generation" platform, embedding sixth-generation AI-assisted mission computing into a fifth-generation airframe. ADA Director General Jitendra Jadhav has called it one of the most contemporary aircraft among fifth-generation designs currently in development. AMCA chief designer Krishna Rajendra has separately confirmed the aircraft is built to stay undetected on enemy radar.
Official design render of the AMCA showing its twin-engine stealth configuration, internal weapons bays, and low-observable airframe shaping. The design was formally accepted by the IAF in 2016 and completed a detailed design review phase in 2023. | Image: Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) / DRDO
The 5 Biggest AMCA News Stories of 2026
1. Why Was HAL Excluded from the AMCA Programme?
The most consequential development of early 2026: India's Defence Ministry has shortlisted three private sector giants — Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and Bharat Forge — to lead the AMCA prototype development phase. State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been excluded from this shortlist.
For the first time in six decades of Indian fighter programmes, a private firm — not HAL — will lead as prototype integrator. HAL had been the default lead integrator on every Indian fighter programme, from the HF-24 Marut in the 1960s to the Tejas LCA. ADA itself had proposed private-sector leadership, citing the need for faster execution and greater commercial accountability.
The Request for Proposal (RFP) is expected within three months. Contract award is anticipated in early 2027, with prototype rollout two to three years after that. Each prototype is estimated to cost approximately ₹1,000 crore. The winning bidder must complete the full AMCA development cycle — prototyping, flight testing, and certification — within eight years of contract signing, and must be capable of independently setting up a serial production line thereafter.
💡 Why It Matters
HAL's exclusion doesn't mean it's entirely out — it may still participate as a Tier-1 or Tier-2 supplier within the winning consortium. But the lead integrator role going to a private company would be a structural first for Indian combat aviation, and a critical test of the government's 'Make in India' defence privatisation drive.
2. What Engine Will Power the AMCA?
The AMCA's single biggest vulnerability has always been its engine. Fighter jet engines are the most technically demanding artefacts in aerospace, and India has historically struggled to develop competitive powerplants — the Kaveri engine, intended for the Tejas, was abandoned for its primary role after more than 30 years of development.
The AMCA Mk-1 will use two GE F414-GE-INS6 engines from the United States — the same class that powers the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet. HAL has already signed an MoU with GE Aerospace for domestic manufacture of the F414 in India. But the Mk-2 is where India's long-term engine sovereignty ambitions become real: in August 2025, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed a 10-year co-development agreement with France's Safran for a new 120 kN-class turbofan engine under the Horizon 2047 strategic partnership. The deal is valued at approximately ₹61,000 crore and includes full technology transfer, with India retaining intellectual property rights.
In February 2026, the National Aero Engine Mission was formally launched to coordinate Indian industry, academia, and government laboratories toward this goal. A parallel joint study with the United Kingdom on the same engine class is also underway, reflecting India's multi-alignment strategy.
The GE F414-GE-INS6 afterburning turbofan, selected to power the AMCA Mk-1 prototype. The follow-on AMCA Mk-2 will be powered by a new 120 kN-class turbofan co-developed with France's Safran over a 10-year programme. | Photo: GE Aerospace
⚙️ Technical Note
A critical sub-component of the new Mk-2 engine is single-crystal turbine blade technology — required to withstand extreme heat and centrifugal stress inside a high-thrust fighter engine. India's Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) has developed this metallurgy. At Aero India 2025, MIDHANI displayed SuperNi 41 plates — a nickel-chromium superalloy for extreme-temperature aero engine applications — demonstrating that the domestic material base for this programme is actively being built.
"The Safran deal is not just about one engine. It is about India building the industrial base, the test infrastructure, and the human capital to never again be held hostage on propulsion." — Senior ADA official, speaking on background
3. Will India Join GCAP or FCAS for a 6th-Gen Fighter?
Even as the AMCA prototype races toward rollout, India is already positioning for the next technological leap. On March 18, 2026, the Ministry of Defence confirmed to Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence that the IAF is actively seeking to join one of two European sixth-generation fighter consortia:
- GCAP — the Global Combat Air Programme led by the UK, Italy, and Japan
- FCAS — the Future Combat Air System led by France and Germany
India has signalled to France that it is willing to consider FCAS involvement, building on the deep defence partnership formalised under the Horizon 2047 framework. Participation in either programme would give India early access to AI-driven combat cloud architecture, manned-unmanned teaming, drone swarm integration, and next-generation adaptive stealth materials.
4. Will India Buy the F-35 or Su-57 Instead of AMCA?
Despite sustained lobbying from American defence contractors — Lockheed Martin has repeatedly offered the F-35 in various configurations — and Russia's ongoing pitch for the Su-57, India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh made the government's position unambiguous at the Rising Bharat Summit in March 2026: India will not rush to buy foreign fifth-generation fighters. The AMCA is the plan.
India's decision to skip foreign 5th-gen jets carries real risk: China's J-20 fleet is expanding rapidly, and Pakistan has expressed interest in acquiring the carrier-based J-35. India's fighter squadron strength, already below the IAF's authorised level of 42 squadrons, continues to shrink as older MiG-21s retire. The 114-jet MRFA tender, in which the Dassault Rafale is currently the frontrunner, is expected to bridge this gap in the near term.
5. Can India Export the AMCA Fighter Jet?
In a significant policy shift, India is now preparing to allow AMCA exports. The industrial consortium awarded the build contract will be permitted to market the aircraft internationally once export clearances are secured through the government-to-government framework. Officials believe the AMCA could compete in the global fighter market at competitive price points, following the commercial model of platforms like the JAS 39 Gripen or the Dassault Rafale. Export orders would lower per-unit costs for the IAF, stabilise production volumes, and deepen India's defence diplomacy with partner nations.
AMCA Development Timeline: From 2024 to Induction
How Does AMCA Compare to the F-35, J-20, and Su-57?
India's AMCA Mk-2 is designed to be operationally competitive with current and near-future fifth-generation platforms. Here is how it compares on key parameters to the jets it may one day face — or replace — across the Indo-Pacific theatre:
| Parameter | AMCA Mk-2 (India) | F-35A (USA) | J-20 (China) | Su-57 (Russia) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Generation | 5.5 Gen (claimed) | 5th Gen | 5th Gen | 5th Gen |
| Max Takeoff Weight | ~25 tonnes | ~31 tonnes | ~37 tonnes | ~35 tonnes |
| Engine Thrust | ~120 kN (in development) | F135: 191 kN | WS-15: ~180 kN | AL-41F1: ~175 kN |
| Stealth Design | Internal bays + RAM coating | Class-leading | Comparable | Partial |
| Supercruise | Planned (Mk-2) | No | Unconfirmed | Yes |
| AI / Sensor Fusion | Yes (6G-embedded AI) | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Unmanned Teaming | Planned (CATS Warrior) | Yes (CCA programme) | Yes (LJ-1) | In development |
| Export Available | Planned post-2035 | Yes (via FMS) | Highly restricted | Limited |
| Initial Op. Capability | ~2035 | 2015 (USAF) | 2022 est. (PLA) | 2020 (VKS) |
Note: AMCA figures are based on official ADA specifications and public DRDO disclosures. Final performance parameters will be confirmed through prototype flight testing.
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