India Approves Stealth Fighter Jet Plan Amid China's Offer To Pakistan
By : Sandhya
Amid reports of China fast-tracking its plan to deliver stealth fighter jets to Pakistan to bolster its arsenal to counter India's air superiority over its western neighbour, New Delhi has also approved a framework to make its own stealth aircraft.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a project to build India's most advanced fighter jet - the country's first stealth aircraft.
The fighter jet will be a twin-engine, 5th Generation military aircraft, and the programme will be executed by the state-run Aeronautical Development Agency or ADA.
As per the defence ministry framework, ADA will soon invite both public and private defence firms to express their initial interest in participating in the ambitious project by developing a prototype for the stealth aircraft.
A statement by India's defence ministry said that the stealth fighter programme will be spearheaded only by a domestic firm, for which bids can be made independently, as well as a joint venture. These bids can be made both by government-run firms as well as private enterprise
The decision to involve private firms was recommended by a top defence committee in March this year, in a move to boost private manufacturing in the defence sector while also reducing pressure on state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL - the primary fighter jet maker in the country.
HAL is already facing massive delays, especially over the Light Combat Aircraft or LCA Tejas project - a 4.5-generation fighter jet. HAL however, has blamed the slow delivery of jet engines from US firm General Electric or GE for the delays.
India's DRDO is also working on developing its indigenous aircraft engine under the GTRE GTX-35VS Kaveri Engine project. This is mainly being made for the LCA Tejas fighter jet, and is a project currently under progress.