Military Watch Magazine

India Announces Indigenous Stealth Fighter Will Fly Within Two Years: Can It Meet the Target?

India has set September 2028 as the target for the first flight of its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) fifth generation fighter, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh also stating that the Tejas Mk2 is expected to make its maiden flight by September 2027. The timelines were announced at the NDTV Defence Summit in New Delhi on September 27, placing a specific target on two of India’s most important indigenous fighter programs. The AMCA program still being in the process of selecting the private-sector firm that will manufacture its initial prototypes, which has raised serious questions regarding the viability of bringing it to a flight testing stage so quickly. The government has issued a request for proposals to three qualified bidders, with the competition still underway.