AMCA Program Reportedly Faced Bureaucratic Scrutiny over Cost Concerns

India's highly anticipated Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, a cornerstone of the nation's defence modernization, has reportedly faced bureaucratic resistance stemming from budgetary concerns.

According to India Today media reports, the program encountered opposition when seeking approval for a budget of nearly ₹15,000 crore from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

Sources indicate that this opposition originated from multiple fronts, surprisingly including factions within the Indian Armed Forces themselves. The primary concern voiced by these groups is the program's potentially burdensome financial requirements.

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), responsible for leading the AMCA project, seems to have experienced significant bureaucratic hurdles even in the initial approval stages. The ADA submitted its proposal for CCS clearance roughly a year ago, yet extensive negotiations with Indian officials were required to gain the necessary approval.

To push for faster approval, the ADA reportedly sought intervention from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), expressing concerns that further delays could lead to the aircraft becoming obsolete before reaching fruition. This suggests a sense of urgency regarding the AMCA's timely development within the global arms race.

The report highlights Turkey's successful first flight of its TF-X stealth fighter, nicknamed "Kaan," as a potential catalyst. Sources speculate that this success may have highlighted the risk for India of falling behind nations aggressively pursuing next-generation fighter jet technology.

Though it remains unconfirmed whether the Kaan's first flight directly influenced the CCS's ultimate decision-making, reports suggest a combination of the ADA's persistence in addressing concerns and the heightened sense of international competition may contribute to the program's eventual approval.

 

[shivkumar sinha]

Officials opposing AMCA must be working on enemy payroll. They are more dangerous than Pannun, Hafez , Masood and Dawood. They must be identified and served the harshest of punishment including secret executions . Bharat should have no place for traitors.

 

[sanket]

They just want kick backs , want to settle in Foreign after Retirement.

 

[nakul1307]

How can they be so stupid?? Must be named and asked to explain. What will happen to your treasury when china attacks with J20s and FC31s??

 

[Baiju Bhaskaran]

This shows how difficult it is to throw out the anti India import lobby and deep state from the bureaucracy and the armed forces.

 

[NSR]

Rs. 15,000 crores is less than $2 billions and that is a puny amount to develop a 5th generation fighter.
Summarily fire all of those bureaucrats and put in more technocrats with MBAs in those positions.
Deny all retirement benefits to these Gaddars.

 

[ABHIJIT APSINGIKAR]

This article is delusional at best, and just reinforces the idea that our DPSU live in their own sweet fantasy world that's detached from reality. "They argue further delays would compromise AMCA's relevance in global technological race" Time to wake up smell the coffee, AMCA is already irrelevant in global technological race. Both KF-21 and KAAN are flying prototypes and in fact KF-21 is way ahead in prototype testing with as many as 5 prototypes flying as of present.

"India risked falling behind....." seriously, our prototype testing for LCA MK2 itself is delayed for 2026 when the prototype is fabricated. Even HAL/ADA don't profess MK2 for being anything more than a low-cost 4-4.5 generation fighter and if they cant surmount challenges in fabricating a prototype for MK2, what makes us believe that they would suddenly succeed in developing a fifth-generation prototype without having any specific expertise in development of di-electric composites. (P.S: for those who claim India is already building composites materials, until recently we were importing composite fabrics and no Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) is very different material from di-electric composites)

Time to wakeup and smell the coffee, India is already behind and even the AMCA MK1, which is supposed to be a twin-engine 4-4.5 generation fighter is unlikely to enter service anytime before 2037.

Its obvious why bureaucrat's were skeptical about the viability of project. As demonstrated the timelines have already been deferred and they feared that by the time we may see AMCA it would be obsolete. Which is a fair assessment of the project that increasingly seems to be heading for disaster.

 

[Shafted mohammed]

Those who opposed or delayed must be giving compulsory retirement. The MOD must be cleaned of corrupt and incompetent babus.

 

[Ray]

Officials opposing AMCA must be working on enemy payroll. They are more dangerous than Pannun, Hafez , Masood and Dawood. They must be identified and served the harshest of punishment including secret executions . Bharat should have no place for traitors.

Those officials do such things on the directions of foreign weapon d@l@ls.
For decades, foreign weapon d@l@ls had access in defence ministry. NDA regime blocked their way to ministry, but still they'll be in contact with several officials.
But still they failed in there objectives and amca program got approval.

 

[Itachi]

Dear God if you really exit Jo Jo Officials ye project band karne ke liye koshish kar rahe the i hope uska family ko cancer ki bimari Lage ... 🙏

 

[kumar]

Every time, we need kick in the back for us to wakeup. The same babu are not accountable for spending millions of dollars for fgfa, for which we got zilch in return. And we have some here, advocating that what babus have done is correct. Trying to spread western narratives all in the name of logic. It took other country project for us to wakeup. When will we learn. Strength respects strength. If it was left to babu, we would never have become nuclear weapons state, since it is expensive to develop and maintain nuclear weapons.

 

[Anant]

Need it be mentioned that the amount allocated to the Tejas back in the 1980s, when adjusted to 2023, amount to roughly 1 billion dollars? In contrast, AMCA is taking around 1.8 billion dollars equivalent.

These bureaucrats don't seem to understand the fact that you can't just jump to a sixth generation jet while even a 4.5th generation fighter has still not completed development. Utter morons, these bureaucrats.

 

[ryan]

This article is delusional at best, and just reinforces the idea that our DPSU live in their own sweet fantasy world that's detached from reality. "They argue further delays would compromise AMCA's relevance in global technological race" Time to wake up smell the coffee, AMCA is already irrelevant in global technological race. Both KF-21 and KAAN are flying prototypes and in fact KF-21 is way ahead in prototype testing with as many as 5 prototypes flying as of present.

"India risked falling behind....." seriously, our prototype testing for LCA MK2 itself is delayed for 2026 when the prototype is fabricated. Even HAL/ADA don't profess MK2 for being anything more than a low-cost 4-4.5 generation fighter and if they cant surmount challenges in fabricating a prototype for MK2, what makes us believe that they would suddenly succeed in developing a fifth-generation prototype without having any specific expertise in development of di-electric composites. (P.S: for those who claim India is already building composites materials, until recently we were importing composite fabrics and no Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) is very different material from di-electric composites)

Time to wakeup and smell the coffee, India is already behind and even the AMCA MK1, which is supposed to be a twin-engine 4-4.5 generation fighter is unlikely to enter service anytime before 2037.

Its obvious why bureaucrat's were skeptical about the viability of project. As demonstrated the timelines have already been deferred and they feared that by the time we may see AMCA it would be obsolete. Which is a fair assessment of the project that increasingly seems to be heading for disaster.

KF-21 is anything But 5th gen in its current iteration firstly, Secondly Lockheed is providing extensive consultation to the Koreans. The Kaan at the moment is a glorified RC Model Aircraft at best with at least a decade way from anything "5th gen standard" fruitful. Also Turkiye being a NATO member has been getting extensive consultation from BAE & other western partners. There is a reason it suddenly appeared in the World Defence Exporting Map 5 years back. So India is no way behind & India has a complete different approach in its aircraft development ideology & is also going majorly indigenous way for its program barring the engine for Mk1 & with the technology & supply chain for aircraft manufacturing maturing over the last decade for LCA, things will only get better from here.

Bureaucrats were skeptical ONLY because they are going to miss out the HUGE Kickbacks from current 5th gen manufacturers. Its a Gods blessing that India has such a Nationalist with Hindustan First Policy government at the helm for long term for the first time since its independence

 

[vinod nair]

Are they bringing the money from their houses?? Resource allocation and their reallocation is the primary job of the gov to retain and nourish talent thereby upgrading the technology levels of the society. Is it so complex for their understanding. Beside their is a need to deliver things on time.

 

[Puneet]

The IAS system of recruitment needs a serious revamp. They are taking in people who have a great memory, excellent general knowledge, write up ability. They can be good journalists and editors. What our country needs are bureaucrats with good reasoning and fast decision making skills. The travel time of the files should be shorter and faster.

 

[Akshat]

Another fake article by DRDO. These officials provided mission mode funding to Rustom, provided 1.5 billion dollars for ISE for Rafale, are providing 90% funding to L&T for FICV, and approved 500% additional budget for various delayed and failed DRDO budgets. They approved AMCA project earlier knowing this cost. IAF chief is giving daily statements on AMCA knowing this cost. They approved 6billion dollars to HAL for FGFA. But they argued about 1.8 billion dollars for this project? Pure non sense. 15 years in designing didn’t delay the project but 11 months in approval made it obsolete?

Fact is, DRDO is a lying and cheating organization. ADA has an embarrassing track record. So checking each and every word of the file became necessary. In a real competitive environment, every single person associated with ADA would have been fired if anything. But MoD gave funds from the emergency reserve for this project. That is why this article, like many others, has no specific names or sources but only vague accusations. GoI must learn narrative building from them.

 

[prabar]

Another fake article by DRDO. These officials provided mission mode funding to Rustom, provided 1.5 billion dollars for ISE for Rafale, are providing 90% funding to L&T for FICV, and approved 500% additional budget for various delayed and failed DRDO budgets. They approved AMCA project earlier knowing this cost. IAF chief is giving daily statements on AMCA knowing this cost. They approved 6billion dollars to HAL for FGFA. But they argued about 1.8 billion dollars for this project? Pure non sense. 15 years in designing didn’t delay the project but 11 months in approval made it obsolete?

Fact is, DRDO is a lying and cheating organization. ADA has an embarrassing track record. So checking each and every word of the file became necessary. In a real competitive environment, every single person associated with ADA would have been fired if anything. But MoD gave funds from the emergency reserve for this project. That is why this article, like many others, has no specific names or sources but only vague accusations. GoI must learn narrative building from them.

Yes 100% true.... Missing deadlines and giving excuses and then again giving unrealistic timelines has become a habit of these government organisations

 

[prabar]

KF-21 is anything But 5th gen in its current iteration firstly, Secondly Lockheed is providing extensive consultation to the Koreans. The Kaan at the moment is a glorified RC Model Aircraft at best with at least a decade way from anything "5th gen standard" fruitful. Also Turkiye being a NATO member has been getting extensive consultation from BAE & other western partners. There is a reason it suddenly appeared in the World Defence Exporting Map 5 years back. So India is no way behind & India has a complete different approach in its aircraft development ideology & is also going majorly indigenous way for its program barring the engine for Mk1 & with the technology & supply chain for aircraft manufacturing maturing over the last decade for LCA, things will only get better from here.

Bureaucrats were skeptical ONLY because they are going to miss out the HUGE Kickbacks from current 5th gen manufacturers. Its a Gods blessing that India has such a Nationalist with Hindustan First Policy government at the helm for long term for the first time since its independence

Bro amca mk1 a 4.5 gen aircraft, when it enters production in 2035 will already be obsolete.. it's time to accept the reality

 

[Anant]

Bro amca mk1 a 4.5 gen aircraft, when it enters production in 2035 will already be obsolete.. it's time to accept the reality

It won't be obsolete. As the American, Chinese, and Russian Air Forces are now realising, you cannot have a large air force comprised exclusively of fifth generation fighters unless you are ready to spend truly absurd amounts of money. They are considerably more expensive than older aircraft, and the imposition of stealth means they have to compromise on things such as payload.

Similarly, AMCA will not be a one-size-fits-all replacement for all our older aircraft, and in a 'clean' configuration, would be close to a 5th generation fighter in most aspects. Hence, it would also be used in a similar manner to what the F-35 is proposed to be used as: A guiding beacon for stand-off munitions fired from 4.5th generation aircraft from increased ranges.

 

[Vijigishu ( विजिग्शु )]

The IAS system of recruitment needs a serious revamp. They are taking in people who have a great memory, excellent general knowledge, write up ability. They can be good journalists and editors. What our country needs are bureaucrats with good reasoning and fast decision making skills. The travel time of the files should be shorter and faster.

IAS system is needed only for non important mundane departments.

Departments such as Defence, Aerospace, Nuclear etc need technocrats who have first hand experience in the relevant field.