IAF’s work cut out with China bent on arming Pakistan

INDIA admirably showcased its air power during Operation Sindoor. It was the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) superiority in the skies — both in terms of offensive and defensive capabilities — that overwhelmed Pakistan. However, amid the jubilation, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh laid bare a sobering reality: delays in the procurement of critical military platforms. He went to the extent of saying that “no single project that he can think of” had been completed on time. Such sluggishness and inefficiency won’t serve India’s grand goal of indigenously developing and producing the fifth-generation fighter jet — the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

A timeline of eight years has been set for this aircraft to be in a flying condition and ready for mass production. As per realistic estimates, it might take a decade to eventually roll out the AMCA. That’s a long way off, and in the meantime, it’s important not to lose sight of the short-term targets. The delayed delivery of 83 Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Mk1A from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the contract for which was signed in 2021, is worrisome. The silver lining is the increased supply of the F404 engine from General Electric Aerospace, thanks to which HAL is hopeful of delivering 12 Tejas Mk1A in the ongoing financial year.

The challenge is to fast-track projects without compromising on due diligence. There is no time to lose as China is bent on arming Pakistan with a slew of new weapons to wage future wars against India. Islamabad’s June 6 tweet, claiming that Beijing has offered 40 fifth-generation J-35 fighters, KJ-500 airborne early warning aircraft and HQ-19 ballistic missile defence systems, is clearly aimed at making New Delhi uneasy. The J-35’s USP is its enhanced stealth prowess for penetrating an adversary’s airspace. It’s obvious that a desperate Pakistan will push its all-weather ally to provide these fighters sooner than later. This should be reason enough for Indian defence firms, both in the public and private sectors, to rise to the occasion.

Editorials