Anna Hartz
India Eyes Defense Autonomy With Advanced Fighter Jet Plan
Military tensions in South Asia have been rising. Earlier this month, India and Pakistan exchanged fire in their worst clash in decades.
Now, India is making it clear that it wants more control over its own defense systems.
On Tuesday, the Indian government approved the development of a prototype for a next-generation fighter jet, according to Digi24.
The project aims to reduce India’s dependence on foreign arms suppliers.
The new aircraft will be called the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). It will be a 5th generation stealth fighter jet.
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh gave the green light for the prototype.
According to a statement from the Defense Ministry, the project will be led by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which operates under the ministry.
The agency said it is ready to begin work and will collaborate with private industry in building the prototype. Officials say this is a major step toward defense independence.
India has been working for years to modernize its military. It shares borders with China and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbors.
This makes regional security a constant concern. The country remains one of the world’s top arms importers.
Between 2019 and 2023, almost 10% of India’s total imports were weapons, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
At the same time, India is becoming more active in global alliances. It is a key member of the “Quad,” a partnership with the U.S., Japan, and Australia.
This group is paying close attention to China’s growing power. India is also slowly moving away from its long-standing defense ties with Russia.
In recent years, it has started to sign more deals with Western countries instead.
In late March, India announced it would buy 156 light attack helicopters made within the country.
Over the last decade, India has also produced its own aircraft carrier, submarines, and warships. The new fighter jet project is the next step in that direction.