Bridging the fighter jet gap is top priority: IAF Deputy Chief

The IAF is banking on the LCA Mk2 and AMCA for the future, but since they will take time, efforts are being made to bridge the immediate capability gap, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti said on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) in Delhi.

He was addressing Aero Tech India 2025, which is organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, in partnership with Centre for Aerospace Power and Strategic Studies.

On the shortfall in fighter jets after the decommissioning of the MiG-21 fleet, Mr. Bharti said, “We are looking at the LCA Mk2 in the coming years and have also invested in the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), which represents the future of indigenous combat platforms. However, these projects will take time to mature. In the immediate future, we need to bridge the capability gap, and efforts in that direction are already underway.”

He also mentioned that a contract for the procurement of an additional 97 LCA Mk1A aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) was signed last week.

Strides towards self-reliance

He stressed that India’s defence sector is making significant strides towards self-reliance in meeting the needs of the IAF, and India aims to develop its own engine within the next 10-12 years. This ambitious goal requires concerted efforts from both the defence sector and industry stakeholders.

Emphasising the importance of indigenisation, he told industry leaders and policymakers that even 99% indigenous content was insufficient if critical components remained import-dependent. “If the supplies of those critical components are choked, we will not be able to ramp up production when needed,” Mr. Bharti said, urging manufacturers to aim for 100% indigenisation within defined timeframes.

He said indigenisation is critical to the IAF’s future capabilities, which would require strategic autonomy in critical technologies. Progress from conceptualisation to operationalisation is slow, necessitating accelerated innovation through R&D infrastructure development. Future conflicts demand persistent ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) capabilities, real-time situational awareness, cognitive command and control systems, and secure communication protocols.

Weapon seeker technology

However, Mr. Bharti identified weapon seeker technology as the most critical gap. “Considerable effort is being put into developing various kinds of weapons… but very few of us are looking at seeker technology,” he said. 

The Air Force deputy chief urged manufacturers to invest in quantum computing for secure communications, scramjet engines to enable hypersonic missiles, core aero engine technologies for fighters and transport aircraft, directed energy weapons, and counter-drone capabilities. He noted the unmanned aerial systems field is “getting congested” and urged entrepreneurs to focus instead on enhancing platform capabilities, survivability, and sensor integration.