> Final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) expected within weeks > HAL CMD confirms technical configuration for 84 Su-30MKI jets has been frozen > Upgrade cost estimated at ₹60,000–65,000 crore > Aims to convert the backbone of the IAF into a 4.5+ generation “Super Sukhoi” platform
📌 What’s Coming in the Upgrade
> Indigenous Virupaksha AESA radar (GaN-based), replacing older Russian PESA > Detection range expected to rise by 1.5–1.7x > Integration of Astra Mk1 & Mk2 BVR missiles and Rudram anti-radiation missiles > Full indigenous electronic warfare suite
🚨Massive: AMCA Program Fast Tracked: ₹15,000 Crore Cleared, Prototypes From 2028
India’s fifth-generation fighter jet program, AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft), has entered a decisive execution phase with strict timelines and a ₹15,000 crore prototype allocation.
In a major structural shift, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has been moved out of the primary execution framework. Instead, the Ministry of Defence has adopted a competitive private-sector partnership model. Seven bidders, including Larsen & Toubro, Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Adani Defence & Aerospace and Bharat Forge, are in contention. Two will be shortlisted and funded to build five prototypes.
The staggered rollout allows flight testing and development to run simultaneously, reducing delays.
Bigger Strategic Push
The prototype funding comes alongside a broader defence capex push, including ₹63,733 crore earmarked for aircraft and engine development. Defence Research and Development Organisation and Gas Turbine Research Establishment have also invited private players to develop an indigenous 110 kN engine for AMCA.
Why It Matters
If executed on schedule, AMCA will place India alongside the United States, China, and Russia, the only nations currently operating fifth-generation fighters.
With funding locked, deadlines fixed, and private industry onboard, AMCA is no longer a distant ambition. It is now a time-bound national priority.