India Reaffirms Focus on Indigenous AMCA, Declines Entry into UK-Japan-Italy Sixth-Gen GCAP Fighter Jet Program

India has firmly rejected recent media reports suggesting its interest in joining the UK-Japan-Italy-led Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), a multinational initiative to develop a sixth-generation stealth fighter. Officials from the Indian Air Force (IAF) clarified that no formal talks or requests have taken place with any of the GCAP partners.

Launched in 2022, GCAP aims to build a next-generation fighter jet by 2035 with cutting-edge features such as advanced stealth, directed-energy weapons, and integration with unmanned aerial systems. The project is being spearheaded by major defence players—Britain’s BAE Systems, Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Italy’s Leonardo—with an estimated development cost of $32.5 billion. The consortium has been actively looking for new partners to share costs and contribute technologically, and countries like India were seen as potential candidates.

However, Indian defence officials have put such speculation to rest. “There have been no talks with Japan, nor have we requested to join the program,” an IAF official confirmed. While the UK and Italy have expressed interest in India joining the project, and Japan appeared open to it, India has clearly opted to stay committed to its indigenous fighter development efforts.

This decision is a reaffirmation of India’s strategic ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) policy, especially in the defence sector. At the heart of this policy is the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)—India's own fifth-plus generation stealth fighter jet currently under development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA).

Though there was an informal briefing by the UK Ministry of Defence in 2022—when GCAP was still evolving from the Tempest project—no formal engagement followed. During that briefing, the possibility of shared development, including engine technologies potentially involving Rolls-Royce, was discussed. Rolls-Royce, Safran (France), and General Electric (USA) have all shown interest in co-developing a 110-130 kN thrust-class engine for AMCA, promising India full control over intellectual property rights—an essential aspect of strategic independence.

AMCA: The Crown Jewel of Indian Aerospace Ambitions

The AMCA is being developed as a 5.5-generation multirole stealth fighter—technologically superior to current 4.5-gen aircraft like Rafale and nearly on par with 5th-gen jets like the F-35. It is intended to bridge the gap between current fifth-generation fighters and future sixth-generation concepts.

Key features of the AMCA include:

• Stealth Design: Internal weapons bay, radar-absorbent materials, and minimal radar cross-section

• Supercruise Capability: Ability to fly at supersonic speeds without using afterburners

• AI-Integrated Avionics: For automated threat detection and decision-making

• Sensor Fusion: Advanced infrared and radar systems providing a 360-degree battlefield view

• Modular Open Architecture: Enabling seamless integration of future tech upgrades

The prototype rollout is expected by 2028, with the first squadron ready for induction by 2035. The IAF plans to acquire 126 AMCA jets by 2040, starting with the Mk1 variant powered by the GE F414 engine. The later Mk2 version will be equipped with the more powerful, co-developed engine currently under negotiation.

A Vision Beyond AMCA

India’s decision to focus on AMCA rather than joining GCAP or even the European Future Combat Air System (FCAS) also indicates a longer-term vision. The country aims to develop its own sixth-generation fighter aircraft by the 2040s, targeting induction around 2050. Technologies being tested and integrated in AMCA will serve as the technological base for this future platform.

The IAF believes that success with AMCA will equip India with the necessary skills in stealth design, advanced materials, propulsion, avionics, and weapons systems—all essential for a credible sixth-generation aircraft development program.

Conclusion:

India’s refusal to join the GCAP sixth-generation fighter initiative is not a rejection of global collaboration, but a strong message about national capability and strategic autonomy. By doubling down on the AMCA program, India is not only investing in an advanced airpower platform but also laying the foundation for its future aerospace dominance—on its own terms.