Defence ministry has initiated efforts to join sixth-gen fighter aircraft programme: Parliamentary panel

New Delhi: The Minister of Defence has "initiated efforts" to join the sixth-generation fighter aircraft development programme, Future Combat Air System (FCAS), spearheaded by the French government, and sought from it the roadmap to acquire such aircraft, a parliamentary panel has said.

In its report presented in Parliament on Friday, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence recommended the ministry chalk out a trajectory and "step forward the planning process" for the development and acquisition of sixth-generation (6G) aircraft to enhance India's air domain capabilities in today's highly air-centric modern warfare.

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The report is titled "Action Taken by the Government on the Observations/Recommendations contained in the Twentieth Report of Standing Committee on Defence (18th Lok Sabha) on Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Defence for the year 2026-27 on 'Army, Air Force, Navy, Joint Staff, Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme and Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (Demand Nos. 20 and 21)'."

"The Committee has been informed that two consortia are working on the sixth-generation aircraft. One is a consortium of the UK, Italy, and Japan and the another is a consortium of France and Germany and both are developing aircraft," the report said.

The panel said it has been informed that the Indian Air Force will try to join forces with one of the consortia and consider a sixth-generation fighter aircaft right away to ensure that they "do not lag" in achieving the target for advanced aircraft.

The design for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) has been developed, and discussions for its making are currently underway, it said.

The committee said it understands that a technical upgrade of aircraft is "top priority" for enhancing the air force's combat capability.

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The Ministry of Defence has told the panel that it has "initiated efforts in a concerted manner to co-join the sixth-generation fighter aircraft development programme viz., Future Combat Air System (FCAS) spearheaded by the French government," the report said.

Detailed status report in development of acquisition of sixth-generation aircraft, and "any roadmap prepared alongwith tentative timeline for acquisition of such aircraft may be given at the time of submitting action taken statement for the perusal of the Committee," it said.

The panel said that a "status report on development and making of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) may also be given at the time of submitting action taken statement for the perusal of the Committee," according to the report.