Aero India 2025: Russia's Su-57, US' F-35 fighter jets to make its debut

Bengaluru: India targets a defence export of Rs 30,000 crore and defence production of Rs 1.6 lakh crore in the next fiscal, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced here on Sunday on the eve of Aero India 2025, making a strong pitch for turning India into a major defence manufacturing hub.

With the country going full steam with its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) – the home grown fifth generation fighter aircraft – programme, two of the world’s most advanced combat aircraft - USA’s F-35 and Russia’s Su-37 – have landed in Bengaluru for the flypast during the show even as US and Russian officials explore the opportunities for collaboration with India on the ambitious programme.

A year back, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved Rs 15,000 crore for the initial design and development work of AMCA and the first 1:1 prototype will be on display at the show at Yelahanka Air Force station.

“Advanced platforms like Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Light Combat Helicopter Prachand and C-295 Transport Aircraft are now being produced in India. We have also taken a firm resolve to manufacture fifth-generation fighter aircraft within the country,” Singh said.

If everything goes as per the plan, the first AMCA, sources said, would be ready by 2035. "Fifth generation fighter aircraft, due to very special features, are costlier than fourth generation fighter aircraft. But since AMCA is an indigenous fifth generation aircraft, it is less costlier than similar aircraft available outside,” sources said.

With India retaining its top slot as the world’s largest importer of arms, nearly 100 foreign companies will be attending the five day show, trying to grab a share of the country's lucrative military expenditure pie.

Singh said defence production, having crossed the record figure of Rs 1.27 lakh crore in the last fiscal, will exceed Rs 1.60 lakh crore by the end of 2025-26. Defence exports, which touched a record figure of Rs 21,000 crore, he said, would surpass Rs 30,000 crore.

Asked about the delay in the delivery of Tejas LCA Mk-1A, Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Defence Production admitted about a year’s delay in getting the indigenous fighter jets for the IAF, but asserted that the supply would be on par as per the original plan in 2025-26 as supply of the GE 404 engines from General Electric would commence shortly.

On the long awaited 114 multi-role fighter aircraft programme, Kumar said the Centre would consider “all options” to make the armed forces ready and prepared.

In the absence of the LCA and the MRFA, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh publicly stated how the IAF has been struggling with depleted squadron strength.

As against the sanctioned 42 squadrons of fighter jets, the IAF currently has 31 squadrons, but the strength will dip further this year with the phasing out of the last two squadrons of MiG-21s. Also the two squadrons of first generation Tejas LCA are used primarily for training.