India’s Defense Minister gave the green light on Tuesday for the country’s most ambitious indigenous aviation program yet—the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). The twin-engine, fifth-generation stealth jet will be developed by the state-run Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), with private and public firms soon invited to bid on the prototype construction.

The announcement comes just weeks after India and Pakistan—both nuclear-armed—engaged in a four-day military standoff involving fighter jets, missiles, artillery, and drones. According to Reuters, it was the first time both sides used drones on a wide scale, marking the beginning of what analysts now call a drone arms race in South Asia.

The urgency of the project is underscored by the Indian Air Force’s dwindling combat strength—squadron numbers have fallen to 31 from a sanctioned strength of 42, mainly due to its reliance on aging Russian and Soviet-era aircraft. Meanwhile, Pakistan has acquired China’s J-10 fighter jets, and China itself is rapidly growing its aerial fleet.

"The AMCA project is crucial," said Indian defence officials, emphasizing its role in ensuring future air superiority, particularly as China and Pakistan modernize their arsenals.

In a strategic shift, the defence ministry is encouraging private sector participation in the project. Companies may bid independently or form joint ventures, aligning with a recent committee recommendation to diversify aircraft manufacturing beyond the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

This move follows Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh’s public criticism of HAL’s slow delivery of Tejas light combat aircraft, which HAL attributed to supply chain disruptions at engine supplier General Electric.

With the AMCA programme, India is attempting to leapfrog into the elite group of nations with fifth-generation fighter capabilities. The platform is expected to include stealth technology, sensor fusion, supercruise capability, and advanced avionics.

The initiative reflects New Delhi’s broader push for military self-reliance and could significantly reshape the power dynamics in Asia’s skies over the next decade.