India Rules Out F‑35 and Su‑57 Deals, Focus Remains on AMCA
India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has officially clarified that the country is not engaged in any formal procurement talks for either the American F‑35A or the Russian Su‑57E fifth-generation fighter jets. His remarks come amid persistent speculation that India was considering acquiring one or both platforms for its future air dominance strategy.
No Formal Talks with U.S. or Russia
Addressing recent media reports and defence circles’ chatter, Singh stated that any discussion related to the F‑35A or Su‑57E has been entirely informal and exploratory, without any structured dialogue or official engagement underway. This confirms that India is not pursuing either aircraft at this stage, opting instead to focus on its indigenous stealth fighter program.
AMCA Takes Centre Stage
The Defence Secretary reiterated the government’s full commitment to the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, describing it as a cornerstone of India’s future air power. Designed to meet the Indian Air Force’s long-term operational requirements, the AMCA is being developed with stealth capabilities, internal weapon bays, and next-generation avionics.
The project is expected to see first flight within the decade, with both public and private sector participation encouraged under the Make-in-India framework. The Ministry of Defence has already issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a collaborative development model, aiming to create a world-class fifth-generation fighter tailored for Indian conditions.
Procurement Process Overhaul Underway
Singh also outlined efforts to streamline India’s defence acquisition process, reducing the average acquisition timeline from six years to as little as two years. The Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) is being revised to eliminate delays, allow parallel approvals, and improve transparency. These changes are expected to accelerate projects like the AMCA and boost India’s ambitions in the global defence market.
India has already reached ₹23,000 crore in defence exports and is targeting ₹50,000 crore in the coming years, supported by faster clearances, simplified tendering, and targeted R&D investments.
