India’s defence minister has cleared a framework for construction of the nation’s most sophisticated stealth fighter aircraft, said the defence ministry on Tuesday, in the wake of a new arms race with Pakistan following a military clash between the neighbours last month.
Indian government-owned Aeronautical Development Agency, which is implementing the programme, will soon invite preliminary interest from defence companies for building a prototype of the warplane, planned as a twin-engine 5th generation fighter, the ministry stated.
The project is important to the Indian Air Force, whose fleets of predominantly Russian and former Soviet aircraft have dwindled to 31 from a sanctioned strength of 42 at a time when rivaling China is rapidly expanding its air force. Pakistan has one of China’s most sophisticated warplanes, the J-10, in its inventory.
India and Pakistan, both nuclear powers, fought for four days this month, with their armies using fighter jets, missiles, drones, and artillery. U.S. President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire afterward.
For the first time, India and Pakistan deployed drones at a large scale. Security officials, industry executives, and analysts from both countries told Reuters that both nations have now entered a drone arms race.
India will have a local company as its partner for the stealth fighter project, and companies may bid on their own or as a joint venture, the defence ministry stated in a release, further stating that the bids would be available to both private and state-owned companies.
Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh earlier criticized Hindustan Aeronautics for delays in delivering the Tejas light combat jets, which the company blamed on late engine shipments from U.S.-based General Electric due to supply chain issues.
