India advances AMCA stealth jet with modular engine and private‑sector production

India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme is shaping a future‑proof fighter by developing a modular‑core turbofan with Safran and the Gas Turbine Research Establishment. The 110‑130 kN engine is designed for easy replacement of internal components, allowing a shift to variable‑cycle technology in the 2040s without redesigning the airframe. Initial AMCA Mk1 prototypes will use GE F414 engines, while Mk2 prototypes, slated for the mid‑2030s, will receive the indigenous Safran‑GTRE engine.

In parallel, the government has shortlisted three private‑sector consortia – TATA Advanced Systems, an L&T‑BEL‑Dynamatic group, and a Bharat Forge‑BEML‑Data Patterns alliance – to build five prototypes at a new greenfield facility in Andhra Pradesh, excluding state‑owned HAL. The move is driven by concerns that China’s rapidly expanding fleet of J‑20 fighters and the upcoming J‑35AE export to Pakistan could give Islamabad a stealth advantage before India’s AMCA enters service. Accelerating the AMCA and its engine programme is presented as a national‑security imperative to preserve India’s air‑power balance.