After Germany’s exit, India eyes France-led sixth-generation fighter programme

India is pursuing a partnership with France to co-join the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme, which aims to develop a sixth-generation fighter aircraft. This follows Germany's withdrawal from the project, which also includes Spain. The aircraft, still in development, is slated for its first flight between 2028 and 2029, alongside India's own fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in June prompted this shift in focus, elevating India-France defence cooperation to a Special Global Strategic Partnership. Discussions emphasized co-design, co-development, and co-production of advanced defence platforms, with a focus on next-generation technologies.

India's compatibility with France's operational vision, given its possession of carrier operability and nuclear delivery capabilities, strengthens the case for collaboration on a sixth-generation fighter. The Indian Ministry of Defence has initiated efforts to co-join the FCAS programme, aligning with the broader push for self-reliance in defence.

The sixth-generation fighter will feature advanced technologies such as all-aspect stealth shaping, digital-first engineering, variable-cycle engines, gallium nitride transistors, directed-energy weapons, integrated artificial intelligence, cyber warfare tools, and loyal wingman drones. This collaboration positions both India and France as significant players in shaping the future of aerial combat, as the global race for sixth-generation airpower intensifies.