‘We have necessary capability’: IAF chief on Chinese 5th gen aircraft threat, calls for prioritising AMCA
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "‘We have necessary capability’: IAF chief on Chinese 5th gen aircraft threat, calls for prioritising AMCA")
Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh. Photograph: (ANI)
IAF Chief AP Singh said India has the necessary capability to counter the Chinese fifth-generation aircraft threat while stressing the need to prioritise and accelerate the AMCA programme.
Indian Air Force Chief Air Marshal AP Singh said on Saturday (October 03) that India has the capabilities needed to counter the threat from fifth-generation fighter aircraft being developed by China. However, Singh stressed the need to speed up the induction of India's own next-generation combat aircraft to deal with emerging challenges.
Addressing the IAF's annual press conference in New Delhi, Singh also responded to reports that Pakistan could acquire Chinese fifth-generation fighter aircraft in the near future.
“Reports suggest that Pakistan may acquire them in the near future. There are even reports that their pilots are already undergoing training in China. Undoubtedly, this is a cause for concern. However, is it a no-go situation? I wouldn't agree with that. We possess the necessary capabilities; after all, it is not just about a single platform, but rather how that platform is integrated into the entire system,” Singh said.
IAF highlights importance of system integration
Singh said the effectiveness of a fighter aircraft depends not only on the platform itself but also on how it is integrated into the wider military system.
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He pointed to Pakistan's previous possession of advanced platforms and said they had not delivered significant results against India during Operation Sindoor.
“Pakistan has possessed other platforms in the past, yet they haven't been able to achieve anything significant with them during Operation Sindoor. Similarly, if we effectively integrate the platforms we are purchasing and inducting, we should be able to counter this threat—at least for the time being, until they fully integrate these new aircraft into their own systems,” he noted.
IAF chief calls for faster AMCA induction
Singh said India needs to prioritise the early induction of fifth-generation stealth fighters to maintain long-term air dominance.
He also called for the indigenous Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme to be pushed forward and warned that alternative decisions may be needed if there are delays.
“We must prioritise the early induction of an aircraft of this generation. We need to push the AMCA programme forward; if there are delays, we must make alternative decisions,” the Air Chief Marshal added.
