SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
At the India Today Conclave 2025, held on March 7-8 at the Taj Palace in New Delhi, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF), appeared to endorse the idea of leveraging foreign vendor expertise to accelerate the development of India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), the country’s ambitious fifth-generation stealth fighter program.
While specific details remained undisclosed, Singh hinted that the company selected for the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) tender—aimed at procuring 114 jets—should also be permitted to contribute to the AMCA’s development.
During his address at the conclave, Air Chief Marshal Singh suggested that the winner of the MRFA tender, a multi-billion-dollar procurement process for 114 fighter jets, could play a pivotal role in the AMCA’s development. Though he did not elaborate on the specifics, idrw.org sources indicate that this idea is not novel. In the past, foreign OEMs like Saab (offering the JAS-39 Gripen E/F) and Dassault Aviation (offering the Rafale) have pitched comprehensive technology transfer and co-development proposals for the AMCA as sweeteners to secure the MRFA contract. These offers typically include assistance in critical areas such as engine design, radar systems, and stealth technology—domains where India seeks to bridge technological gaps.
Singh’s endorsement of this approach reflects a pragmatic acknowledgment of the challenges facing the AMCA program. While India has made strides with indigenous projects like the Tejas LCA, the leap to fifth-generation technology requires expertise that foreign vendors, with operational platforms like the Rafale or Gripen, can provide. This collaboration could accelerate development, reduce risks, and ensure the AMCA meets global standards, especially as adversaries like China advance toward sixth-generation capabilities.
The MRFA tender, initiated with a Request for Information (RFI) in 2018, aims to bolster the IAF’s dwindling squadron strength, currently at 31 against a sanctioned 42. Contenders include the Dassault Rafale, Saab Gripen E/F, Lockheed Martin F-21, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Russian MiG-35 and Su-35. The tender emphasizes “Make in India,” requiring the winning jet to be manufactured locally with significant technology transfer. Singh’s proposal ties this procurement to the AMCA, suggesting that the selected OEM’s involvement in local production could extend to supporting the fifth-generation program.
According to idrw.org, the IAF has previously floated the idea that the MRFA winner should partner with a private sector company for production in India. This arrangement would not only fulfill the MRFA’s indigenization mandate but also build a foundation for private industry to participate in AMCA production by 2035. By integrating the MRFA production ecosystem with the AMCA, India could leverage foreign expertise to upskill its private sector, creating a sustainable pipeline for advanced fighter jet manufacturing.
Singh’s suggestion at the conclave addresses this gap by proposing that the MRFA winner’s manufacturing process be handed to a private sector company. This would provide hands-on experience in producing a modern fighter jet under foreign guidance, equipping firms like Tata or L&T with the know-how to transition into AMCA production. For instance, if Saab wins the MRFA with the Gripen, its partnership with a private Indian firm could involve setting up assembly lines, integrating avionics, and mastering quality control—skills directly applicable to the AMCA.
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