Cabinet Committee on Security Approves ₹15,000 Crore 5th Generation Aircraft Project

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has greenlit a groundbreaking project spearheaded by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) aimed at designing and fabricating Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), fulfilling the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) pressing need for a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet. This crucial decision underscores the government's commitment to bolstering India's defense capabilities on the technological front.

Additionally, in its latest session, speculated to be the final one before the announcement of Lok Sabha polls, the CCS has also given the green signal for the procurement of 34 new Advanced Light Helicopters Dhruv, earmarked for deployment by both the Indian Army and the Indian Coast Guard. Sources familiar with the matter have disclosed that out of these, 25 helicopters will be allocated to the Army, while the remaining nine will be assigned to the Coast Guard. Manufactured by the prestigious navratna PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Dhruv helicopters have been operationalized by various branches of the armed forces, including the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy, Border Security Force (BSF), as well as several state governments since their inception in 2002.

The AMCA project, projected to require an investment of approximately ₹15,000 crore, is slated to be executed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency in collaboration with a consortium comprising both private and public entities. The ambitious endeavor aims to manufacture five prototypes within a span of five years, as outlined by government sources.

This significant move signals the government's intent to prioritize domestically developed fifth-generation aircraft over foreign imports, thereby propelling the concept of self-reliance (atmanirbharta) within the defense sector and cementing India's position as a formidable force on the global stage.

HBL