India’s first indigenously built fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), is expected to take to the skies by 2035. That’s the timeline confirmed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Dr Samir V Kamat.
“If you look at any programme anywhere in the world, it takes 10 to 15 years to develop a new platform. So we have started this journey only in 2024, when the CCS sanctioned the project. So it will take ten years and we have committed to deliver the platform by 2035,” Kamat told ANI on Sunday.
The AMCA, once ready, will mark a major leap for India’s aerospace ambitions. But building a fifth-generation stealth jet is no small feat. It will involve not just cutting-edge airframe design and sensor fusion, but also a new generation of engines.
To that end, DRDO is already looking abroad for support. “We want to start an AERO engine programme and we want to collaborate with a foreign OEM to cut down the risks of development,” Kamat said. “AERO engine technology is a very complex technology, however we have learnt a lot from Kaveri. Kaveri was a fourth generation engine and the current engine technology has moved to sixth generation, so we want to work with foreign OEM to reduce the risks as well as cut down the time for development. Hopefully, we will have some good news on this in the next few months,” he added.
Laser weapon breakthrough puts India in elite club
On the same day, DRDO showcased another landmark achievement — the successful test of a high-energy laser weapon capable of disabling enemy drones, missiles, and surveillance systems.
The 30-kilowatt Directed Energy Weapon (DEW), named Mk-II(A), was tested at the National Open Air Range (NOAR) in Kurnool. It not only shot down fixed-wing drones but also demonstrated the ability to neutralise multiple drone threats simultaneously.
Kamat described the event as a significant leap. “As far as I know, it is the United States, Russia and China that have demonstrated this capability. Israel is also working on similar capabilities. I would say we are the fourth or fifth country in the world to demonstrate this system,” he said.
The weapon, developed by DRDO’s Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS) in Hyderabad, is a homegrown effort. Several other labs, including LRDE, IRDE, and DLRL, along with Indian industry and academic institutions, contributed to its development.
Once a target is detected — either through radar or the onboard Electro-Optic system — the laser can engage it at the speed of light. A powerful beam cuts through the threat, often triggering structural collapse or even warhead detonation.
A ‘Star Wars’ start: high-energy tech under development
Kamat was quick to point out that the laser test is just one piece of a much larger plan.
“This is just the beginning of the journey. The synergy that this lab has achieved with other DRDO labs, industry and academia, I am sure we will reach our destination soon... We are also working on other high energy systems like high energy microwaves, electromagnetic pulse. So we are working on a number of technologies that will give us Star Wars capability. What you saw today was one of the components of Star Wars technologies,” he said.
The phrase "Star Wars capability" might sound futuristic, but the implications are very real. As low-cost drones and swarms become common in modern warfare, such systems offer a clean, cheap, and rapid-response alternative to traditional arms.
Fast, precise, and cheap — the case for laser defence
One of the standout features of the DEW system is its cost-effectiveness. Unlike missiles or conventional guns, lasers don’t rely on costly ammunition. The cost of operating the weapon for a few seconds is roughly equal to a couple of litres of petrol.
Its accuracy is another major advantage. During the trial, the laser successfully took out surveillance antennas and sensors with pinpoint precision. Its ability to respond within seconds could change how future threats are handled — from rogue drones to incoming munitions.
As drone warfare evolves, so too does the demand for scalable, dependable countermeasures. Directed energy weapons, with their speed, precision, and lower operational costs, are becoming a preferred solution worldwide.
Indigenous systems closing in on induction
Alongside the stealth fighter and DEW system, several other Indian defence programmes are inching closer to completion. “There are many projects which are now moving towards maturity. In the next six months to one year, you will see many of our systems getting inducted. VSHORAD, MPATGM, we have LCA Mark II, which will have its first flight, so there are many systems which are now moving towards maturity and in the next six months to one year you will see many of them getting inducted,” Kamat told ANI.
These include the man-portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM), very short-range air defence systems (VSHORAD), and the LCA Mk II fighter.
High praise from the top
The successful laser weapon test was witnessed by the Secretary of Defence R&D and the DRDO Chairman, alongside senior scientists and officers from multiple labs.
Following the trial, the chairman congratulated the team and said, “The inclusion of DEW Mk-II(A) in the services will boost their layered air defence capability.”
With the AMCA on the horizon and a new class of energy weapons entering service, India’s defence establishment appears to be laying the foundation for a transformed military ecosystem — one that’s faster, smarter, and increasingly indigenous.
(With inputs from ANI)
“If you look at any programme anywhere in the world, it takes 10 to 15 years to develop a new platform. So we have started this journey only in 2024, when the CCS sanctioned the project. So it will take ten years and we have committed to deliver the platform by 2035,” Kamat told ANI on Sunday.
The AMCA, once ready, will mark a major leap for India’s aerospace ambitions. But building a fifth-generation stealth jet is no small feat. It will involve not just cutting-edge airframe design and sensor fusion, but also a new generation of engines.
To that end, DRDO is already looking abroad for support. “We want to start an AERO engine programme and we want to collaborate with a foreign OEM to cut down the risks of development,” Kamat said. “AERO engine technology is a very complex technology, however we have learnt a lot from Kaveri. Kaveri was a fourth generation engine and the current engine technology has moved to sixth generation, so we want to work with foreign OEM to reduce the risks as well as cut down the time for development. Hopefully, we will have some good news on this in the next few months,” he added.
Laser weapon breakthrough puts India in elite club
On the same day, DRDO showcased another landmark achievement — the successful test of a high-energy laser weapon capable of disabling enemy drones, missiles, and surveillance systems.
The 30-kilowatt Directed Energy Weapon (DEW), named Mk-II(A), was tested at the National Open Air Range (NOAR) in Kurnool. It not only shot down fixed-wing drones but also demonstrated the ability to neutralise multiple drone threats simultaneously.
Kamat described the event as a significant leap. “As far as I know, it is the United States, Russia and China that have demonstrated this capability. Israel is also working on similar capabilities. I would say we are the fourth or fifth country in the world to demonstrate this system,” he said.
The weapon, developed by DRDO’s Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS) in Hyderabad, is a homegrown effort. Several other labs, including LRDE, IRDE, and DLRL, along with Indian industry and academic institutions, contributed to its development.
Once a target is detected — either through radar or the onboard Electro-Optic system — the laser can engage it at the speed of light. A powerful beam cuts through the threat, often triggering structural collapse or even warhead detonation.
A ‘Star Wars’ start: high-energy tech under development
Kamat was quick to point out that the laser test is just one piece of a much larger plan.
“This is just the beginning of the journey. The synergy that this lab has achieved with other DRDO labs, industry and academia, I am sure we will reach our destination soon... We are also working on other high energy systems like high energy microwaves, electromagnetic pulse. So we are working on a number of technologies that will give us Star Wars capability. What you saw today was one of the components of Star Wars technologies,” he said.
The phrase "Star Wars capability" might sound futuristic, but the implications are very real. As low-cost drones and swarms become common in modern warfare, such systems offer a clean, cheap, and rapid-response alternative to traditional arms.
Fast, precise, and cheap — the case for laser defence
One of the standout features of the DEW system is its cost-effectiveness. Unlike missiles or conventional guns, lasers don’t rely on costly ammunition. The cost of operating the weapon for a few seconds is roughly equal to a couple of litres of petrol.
Its accuracy is another major advantage. During the trial, the laser successfully took out surveillance antennas and sensors with pinpoint precision. Its ability to respond within seconds could change how future threats are handled — from rogue drones to incoming munitions.
As drone warfare evolves, so too does the demand for scalable, dependable countermeasures. Directed energy weapons, with their speed, precision, and lower operational costs, are becoming a preferred solution worldwide.
Indigenous systems closing in on induction
Alongside the stealth fighter and DEW system, several other Indian defence programmes are inching closer to completion. “There are many projects which are now moving towards maturity. In the next six months to one year, you will see many of our systems getting inducted. VSHORAD, MPATGM, we have LCA Mark II, which will have its first flight, so there are many systems which are now moving towards maturity and in the next six months to one year you will see many of them getting inducted,” Kamat told ANI.
These include the man-portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM), very short-range air defence systems (VSHORAD), and the LCA Mk II fighter.
High praise from the top
The successful laser weapon test was witnessed by the Secretary of Defence R&D and the DRDO Chairman, alongside senior scientists and officers from multiple labs.
Following the trial, the chairman congratulated the team and said, “The inclusion of DEW Mk-II(A) in the services will boost their layered air defence capability.”
With the AMCA on the horizon and a new class of energy weapons entering service, India’s defence establishment appears to be laying the foundation for a transformed military ecosystem — one that’s faster, smarter, and increasingly indigenous.
(With inputs from ANI)
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