Amid reports of further delays in India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday set a five-year deadline for the DRDO scientists to develop the country’s Indigenous Aero Engines.
Speaking at the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in Bengaluru, Singh expressed his frustration, saying “If it’s taking 25 years to develop an engine, then India’s current situation, our strategic needs, and our ambitions are such that you should assume that your 20 years have already ended and now you have only 5 years left.”
Singh further stated that the deadline should not come as a “shock or surprise”. “It’s a challenge. “We have to achieve in these 5 years what other countries take 20 years to do. We have to give it our best,” he said.
Singh further highlighted collaborations with the UK and France, a shift to a dry variant for unmanned vehicles by 2026, and the need to aim for sixth-generation tech with AI and advanced materials.
The ambitious timeline supports Atmanirbharta goals, backed by a 15 per cent defence budget rise to Rs 7.85 lakh crore, while addressing past funding gaps compared to rivals like China.
Referring to the AMCA development, Singh said that the time has come to complete the efforts. “We are also moving rapidly towards the design and development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). In the past, we have made several attempts to achieve mastery in the field of aero engines. Now the time has come to complete our efforts that remained incomplete and were not yet complete,” he added.
Rajnath Singh further said that India must start working on sixth-generation and advanced technologies, to stay ahead of the curve.
“The technology you are developing today for fighter planes can bring a revolution to the world of civil aviation tomorrow. The high-temperature-resistant composite materials you are creating can also be used in power plants or spaceships,” the Defence Minister stated.
He cited global political uncertainties to highlight the need for self-reliance in such technologies.
“The world’s geopolitical scenario is changing very rapidly. Supply chains are breaking, and new ecosystems are developing. In such a situation, only the country that has its own technology will remain safe, secure, and able to sustain itself,” he added.