India may join one global consortia on developing sixth generation combat aircraft: CDS Anil Chauhan

New Delhi: India may be joining one of the two global consortia on developing sixth generation combat aircraft, General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Defence Staff has informed a panel of lawmakers, while noting that no decision has been taken on the manufacturing of fifth generation indigenous fighter aircraft.

The first consortium consists of UK, Italy and Japan while the second one have France and Germany as its members, Gen Chauhan told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence that tabled its reports on Wednesday.

“We should not be left behind in such matters. Efforts are on to ensure that we become a part of one of the consortia and start thinking about sixth generation fighters from now on,” he said.

Still largely at a conceptual stage, the sixth generation fighters are likely to have high stealth, much more AI component and will be able to work seamlessly with UAVs. They seek to replace the fifth generation ones like F-35, Su-57 and J-20.

On the home grown fifth generation advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA), Gen Chauhan told the committee that AMCA’s design was developed and discussions were ongoing to finalise the manufacturing plans. The IAF plans to induct six squadrons of these combat aircraft from 2035 onwards.

The Indian Air Force is currently operating with just 29 fighter squadrons, as against its sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons, with no immediate procurement of fighter aircraft is on the horizon.

Gen Chauhan informed the House panel that the government was in the process of expanding the IAF’s area of operations, going beyond its current responsibility of an altitude of up to 20 km.

This is to be done because hypersonic ballistic missiles fly in near space and air force is needed to counter such threats.

A year after Operation Sindoor, the Defence Ministry plans to set up a Future Operation Analysis Group to develop tactics, techniques, procedures, and operational art for fighting future wars, top officials told the Parliamentary Standing Committee.

Jointness and integration in networking, communications, aerospace safety, logistics, and maintenance are the major focus areas identified for future preparations.

Officials have also told the committee that the Indian Army readied over 300 schemes to acquire “potent fighting capabilities” in the next ten years and lessons learnt from Op Sindoor were being integrated into the acquisition process.

The Committee in its report also said that keeping in view the current geopolitical situations and the need for maintaining credible war deterrence at all times, it recommends "further enhanced budgetary allocation under capital head".