India’s Enduring Security Imperative
Persistent conflict has shaped India’s national security environment. From the first Kashmir war in 1947-1948, the Sino-Indian war of 1962, the second Kashmir war in 1965, and the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971 to the Kargil conflict in 1999, along with more recent flashpoints such as the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, India’s borders have witnessed evolving threats. The recent attack in Pahalgam serves as a grim reminder of the enduring nature of these symmetric and asymmetric challenges.
Nations dealing with comparable national security threats have turned to mission-driven organisations to accelerate the development of defence technologies. Starting with the United States’ Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), established in 1958 in response to the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik. Another proponent is Israel’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D, or its Hebrew acronym, Mafat). Established in 1971, Mafat is remarkably potent when it comes to unconventional warfare.
These organisations promote high-risk innovations by operating at the nexus of scientific ambition and military necessity. They serve as examples of how focused, agile institutions can reshape the battlefield. India is yet to adopt a similar mission driven institutional model that can drive defence innovation with the speed, scale, and risk tolerance that characterize contemporary security threats.
Why Aerospace Innovation Must Be a Strategic Priority
Air superiority continues to be a crucial component of modern military doctrine, permitting precision strike, operational reach, and quick reaction in both wartime and peacetime situations. The Indian Air Force (IAF) currently has between 31 and 33 active fighter squadrons, which is much less than the 42 sanctioned strength. While the upgraded Su-30MKI and Rafale improves capabilities, the retirement of legacy fleets, such as the MiG-29s, Jaguars, and Mirage 2000s, will result in a significant numerical gap by the early 2030s. At the same time regional competitors have made significant strides. China has operationalised stealth-capable aircraft such as the J-20 and J-35A, while actively working on the development of sixth-generation fighters. Pakistan continues to modernise its fleet with upgraded J-10Cs and JF-17 Block 3 variants owing to the strategic alliances with China and Turkey, respectively.
India’s strategic response in this regard needs to be a decisive leap forward in its aerospace capabilities. This leap is exemplified by the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, a single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather fifth-generation stealth multirole combat aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). Designed to compete with cutting-edge platforms such as China’s J-20 and the United States’ F-35, the AMCA combines super-cruise capabilities, advanced stealth materials, and an integrated sensor fusion system built on the domestic Uttam Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. With expected certification by 2029, the first models will use the GE F414 engine, but later models might have a 110-kilonewton engine that is co-developed with Safran of France as part of the Horizon 2047 roadmap.
AMCA serves as a barometer for India’s capacity to achieve long-term technological sovereignty in the aerospace industry and overcome reliance on foreign suppliers. The question remains whether India’s current institutional framework can support such transformative innovation, or whether a fundamental redesign of the defence innovation ecosystem is required.
