India currently manufactures indigenous fighter jet Tejas.
India, which is already manufacturing fighter jet Tejas, is now eyeing the fifth generation fighter jet. The government has expedited the construction process. Cooperation of private companies is being taken in this work. The names of three companies are in discussion. These include Tata Advanced Systems, Larsen & Toubro-Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Forge-Bemal Consortium. India currently manufactures indigenous fighter jet Tejas.
Now the next phase is to manufacture the fifth generation fighter jet. A factory is being prepared for this in Andhra Pradesh. Its full name is Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft. It will be a stealth jet, meaning it will be less visible on radar. It will have modern sensors. There will be advanced weapons. It is expected that it will be in front of us in its real form in the coming years. This step is going to prove very important in the direction of self-reliant India.
Come, let us know under the pretext of this new initiative how many types of fighter jets are being made in the country? What are their characteristics? Is any country buying fighter jets from India? How many fighter jets does India have?
Why is India’s air power important?
Air Force plays a big role in the security of any country. During war, only fighter jets attack the fastest. They can attack enemy positions. Can protect the air border. Can provide help to the army on the ground. India kept buying fighter jets from other countries for a long time. But now the picture is changing. India does not want to remain just a buyer. India also wants to become a manufacturer. This is the reason why there has been increased emphasis on indigenous fighter jet programs.
Tejas is made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
India takes steps towards manufacturing fifth generation fighter jet
The government has accelerated the process of manufacturing the fifth generation fighter aircraft. There were many contenders in the tender floated by the Defense Ministry for this, but out of them, three companies have been shortlisted. These include Tata Advanced Systems, L&T, Bharat Forge-BEML. The initial cost of the project is said to be Rs 15 thousand crores. The final selection of one of these is yet to be done. But whichever company will be selected, it will first have to develop prototypes of five fighter jets. This work will be done in Andhra Pradesh. Government company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is not involved in this advanced project. DRDO is monitoring this important project under the supervision of Defense Ministry.
How many types of fighter jets does India make?
If we talk clearly and accurately, at present India’s main indigenous fighter jet is Tejas. That means India currently produces only one fighter jet on a large scale, but there are many versions of it. These include LCA Tejas MK-1, LCA Tejas MK-1A. Tejas MK-2 is under development. This means that as of today, India’s operational indigenous fighter aircraft is Tejas only. The remaining advanced projects are being prepared for further work.
MiG-29
Why is Tejas important?
Tejas is India’s light combat aircraft. It has been made by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. This is a big symbol of India’s self-reliant defense campaign. It was prepared to replace the old MiG aircraft. Tejas is not just modern in appearance. This is also important from technology point of view. It has digital systems. It is a multirole jet, meaning it can fight in the air as well as attack on the ground.
What are the features of Tejas?
The biggest strength of Tejas is its agility. It is light. Therefore can change direction rapidly. The second major feature is modern avionics. Advanced radar and electronic systems have been installed in it. This gives better information to the pilot. The third feature is the fly-by-wire system. With this technology it is easier to control the aircraft. The flight remains more stable. The fourth thing is low operating costs. Flying and maintaining a jet like Tejas is much cheaper than many heavy foreign aircraft. It can take air-to-air missiles. Can carry air-to-ground weapons. Can also carry smart bombs.
How are Mk-1A and Mk-2 different from Tejas?
Tejas Mk-1A is considered to be an improved version of Tejas. It has better radar. The electronic warfare system is strong. Its maintenance is said to be easy. His preparations will be intensified at the time of war. Whereas Tejas Mk-2 is considered to be a more powerful medium range jet. This will be the next level aircraft of Tejas. It will have the capacity to carry more weapons. The range will also be better.
Does any country buy fighter jets from India?
The direct answer to this is no. Till now, India has not started official major foreign deliveries of Tejas fighter jet. But the good thing is that many countries have shown interest in it. The name of Malaysia has been in discussion. Argentina has also shown interest. There have also been reports of talks with Egypt. Some other countries have also shown interest at the initial level. This means that India’s fighter jet export is still at its nascent stage. The market is opening. There is interest, but large scale export is yet to happen.
Three companies in the race
The Indian Defense Ministry has issued a tender for the indigenous fifth generation stealth fighter jet (AMCA) project worth ₹15,000 crore. Big companies like Tata, L&T and Bharat Forge are in the race to achieve this mega project that will make the Air Force self-reliant. defense of the country pic.twitter.com/Mp8FdSQewu
— TV9 Bharatvarsh (@TV9Bharatvarsh) May 28, 2026
How many fighter jets does India have now?
At present, different sources give different figures regarding the total number of fighter jets that India has. But in the major estimates of 2025, this number has been said to be more than five hundred. However, it is important to understand that this total number may include different types of jets. Sukhoi, Rafale, MiG-29, Mirage-2000, Jaguar and indigenous Tejas. Exact figures regarding the numbers are not available because the Indian Air Force also keeps retiring old jets. New ones keep joining the fleet.
What is the biggest challenge facing India?
India has started manufacturing aircraft. This is a big achievement but there are still many challenges. The biggest challenge is engine technology. Making a fighter jet engine is a very difficult task. High temperatures, high pressure and very precise engineering are required. For this reason, India is still dependent on foreign engines in many cases. The second challenge is timely production. The third challenge is to replace the aging fleet. The fourth challenge is to build confidence in the export market.
The conclusion is that today India is in a new phase of fighter jet manufacturing. The truth is that currently India’s main indigenous operational fighter jet is Tejas. This is his biggest strength and identity. Tejas has given India the direction of self-reliance. The remaining editions will further enhance its strengths. The proposed AMCA can take India to new heights.
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