NEW DELHI: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, in a report presented to the Lok Sabha and laid before the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, has called for a roadmap to develop sixth-generation fighter aircraft, placing future air combat capability at the centre of military planning amid rapid technological shifts in warfare.
Flagging the growing centrality of air power, the committee said India must move beyond incremental modernisation and begin structured planning for next-generation combat systems capable of operating in a highly networked, multi-domain battlespace.
“Efforts should be made to chart a trajectory for the technical upgradation of aircraft and to advance the planning process for the development and acquisition of sixth-generation (6G) aircraft, which would enhance India’s air domain capabilities in today’s highly air-centric modern warfare,” the report said.
Sixth-generation fighter programmes being developed by major military powers are set to redefine aerial warfare, integrating manned-unmanned teaming, AI-driven decision-making and advanced stealth technologies, with the ability to operate across both conventional airspace and the near-space domain.
Against this backdrop, sources said India has initiated what are still nascent discussions with France on potential participation in the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the ambitious next-generation air combat programme led by Paris in partnership with Berlin and Madrid, with New Delhi placing particular emphasis on co-development and co-production arrangements.
The programme, centred on a consortium comprising Dassault Aviation, Airbus and Spanish defence firm Indra, has faced internal friction, notably between France and Germany, over issues such as workshare distribution and intellectual property rights.
“India is carefully mapping possible avenues for collaboration while keeping a close watch on how the programme’s internal dynamics evolve. Any future partnership must ensure meaningful technology access and production roles,” a source said.
In a parallel development, Safran is in discussions with India over the co-development of a high-thrust engine for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter programme. Talks are centred on a 120 kN-class propulsion system intended for the aircraft’s second tranche.
The proposed government-to-government arrangement is expected to include full transfer of technology, covering design, materials and domestic manufacturing, aimed at reducing India’s longstanding reliance on foreign propulsion systems.
The 31-member committee also pointed to a broader transformation in the nature of warfare, observing that the Indian Air Force’s operational mandate is expanding beyond conventional kinetic strikes to include space and other non-kinetic domains, which are becoming integral to future air combat architecture.
“The responsibility of the Air Force has also been extended to space capability… to protect our aerospace,” the report said, recommending that the IAF be provided with adequate financial resources to build near-space capabilities and remain on par with global counterparts.
The panel also underlined the need to strengthen joint military structures, noting that future combat systems will require greater integration across services. It recommended additional financial support for the Integrated Defence Staff to enable more effective joint planning and execution.
“The Committee expressed its hope that the Ministry would provide additional grants at the supplementary or revised stage in order to further strengthen the Joint Staff,” the report said.