India has approved a framework for developing a fifth-generation twin-engine stealth fighter jet after finding out that Pakistan was adding the latest J-35 Aircraft to its impregnable Air Force.
The project will be led by India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which will soon invite expressions of interest from defence firms to build a prototype for the fifth-generation aircraft.
The program is critical for the Indian Air Force, which currently operates 31 fighter squadrons against an authorized strength of 42. Meanwhile, China is rapidly expanding its air fleet and Pakistan has added the Chinese J-10 aircraft to its arsenal.
Under the new framework, Indian private and state-owned firms will be eligible to bid independently or in joint ventures. The program aligns with recommendations made in March by an Indian defence committee to include the private sector in combat aircraft production to ease the load on Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
India is currently scrambling to revamp its air force fleet after losing Rafales in its recent skirmish with Pakistan. Senior Pakistan Air Force (PAF) officer Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb declared at the time that PAF had achieved a decisive 6-0 victory over the Indian Air Force.
