With reference to India's aerospace and stealth technology, consider the following statements: 1. IACCS and AI are technologies identified to bridge technological gaps in aviation. 2. India's indigenous AMCA aircraft is expected to be in service by 2030. 3. China currently operates approximately 500 J-20 and J-35 jets. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

India's Defence Secretary RK Singh Says No Decision on Su-57 Acquisition

GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Defence technology· Prelims + Mains· 28 September 2026

Defence procurement and indigenous aerospace technology: a GS3 and Science & Technology case study.

Why in news

Defence Secretary RK Singh stated that India has not yet decided on the acquisition of Russia's Su-57 stealth fighter jet despite China's large fleet of J-20 and J-35 jets.

Background

India's Defence Secretary RK Singh confirmed no decision on Su-57 acquisition at the NDTV Defence Summit 2026. China currently operates approximately 500 J-20 and J-35 jets, while India's indigenous AMCA is expected to be in service by 2038.

Facts for Prelims

S&TSu-57: A stealth fighter jet manufactured by Russia.
FactChina operates around 500 J-20 and J-35 jets.
FactAMCA: India's indigenous aircraft expected in service by 2038.
S&TIACCS and AI: Technologies identified by India to bridge technological gaps in aviation.

Prelims practice question

With reference to India's aerospace and stealth technology, consider the following statements:

IACCS and AI are technologies identified to bridge technological gaps in aviation.
India's indigenous AMCA aircraft is expected to be in service by 2030.
China currently operates approximately 500 J-20 and J-35 jets.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a)3 only
(b)1 and 3 only
(c)2 and 3 only
(d)1, 2 and 3

Show answer

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only — Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is incorrect: The note states it is expected in service by 2038.

For Mains

Q. Discuss the strategic importance of stealth fighter technology in modern aerial warfare and evaluate India's 'Atmanirbhar' approach toward indigenous aircraft development.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

Technological parity: Addressing the gap between China's J-20/J-35 fleet and India's current capabilities
Strategic autonomy: Balancing immediate procurement of Russian Su-57 vs long-term AMCA development
Network-centric warfare: Leveraging IACCS and AI to offset hardware limitations

Keywords: Stealth technology · Strategic autonomy · Network-centric warfare · Indigenous production · Aerospace defense

Read the full news →Report a mistake in this note Source: NDTV ↗Also: GS2 · India's bilateral relations

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