According to a parliamentary subcommittee, the Minister of Defense has “initiated efforts” to join the French government’s sixth-generation fighter aircraft development program, Future Combat Air System (FCAS), and has asked for the roadmap to purchase such aircraft.
In order to improve India’s air domain capabilities in today’s highly air-centric modern warfare, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense recommended in its report presented in Parliament on Friday that the ministry set a course and “step forward the planning process” for the development and acquisition of sixth-generation (6G) aircraft.
The report is entitled “Action Taken by the Government on the Observations/Recommendations contained in the Twentieth Report of Standing Committee on Defense (18th Lok Sabha) on Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Defense for the year 2026-27 on ‘Army, Air Force, Navy, Joint Staff, Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme and Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (Demand Nos. 20 and 21)’.”
“The sixth-generation aircraft is being developed by two consortia, the Committee has been informed. According to the source, two consortiums are working on developing aircraft: one is made up of the UK, Italy, and Japan, while the other is made up of France and Germany.
The design for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) has been developed, and discussions for its making are currently underway, it said.
The committee said it understands that a technical upgrade of aircraft is “top priority” for enhancing the air force’s combat capability.
According to the report, the Ministry of Defense informed the panel that it has “initiated efforts in a concerted manner to co-join the sixth-generation fighter aircraft development program viz., Future Combat Air System (FCAS) spearheaded by the French government.”
It stated that “any roadmap prepared along with tentative timeline for acquisition of such aircraft may be given at the time of submitting action taken statement for the perusal of the Committee” and provided a thorough status report on the purchase of sixth-generation aircraft.
The panel stated that a “status report on development and making of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) may also be given at the time of submitting action taken statement for the perusal of the Committee,” as per the report.
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