India Evaluating Japanese Proposal for GCAP 6th-Gen Fighter Development, Weighing Tech Benefits and Cost Sharing

The Indian government is currently considering an invitation from Japan to participate in the Global Combat Aviation Programme (GCAP), an ambitious international project aimed at developing a sixth-generation fighter jet. This initiative, presently a collaboration between Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy, seeks to pool resources and expertise.

Sources indicate Japan's outreach to India is driven by a desire to share the significant financial investment required for such advanced military technology and to enhance security cooperation with India, a prominent nation in South Asia.

The Global Combat Aviation Programme is a trilateral venture focused on designing and manufacturing a cutting-edge fighter aircraft intended to supersede the existing, aging air fleets of the partner countries, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and Japan's Mitsubishi F-2.

The development of such sophisticated aerial combat systems is projected to cost billions of dollars. By extending an invitation to India, Japan aims to distribute these substantial costs more broadly and also tap into India's expanding defence industrial capabilities.

This diplomatic move also corresponds with Japan's wider strategic goals of fostering stability and security within the Indo-Pacific region, where India holds a significant influential position.

In February 2024, a delegation of Japanese officials travelled to India to formally present the framework of the GCAP and propose India's involvement. The Indian administration, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been actively promoting self-reliance in manufacturing, particularly in the defence sector, through its "Make in India" policy.

It is understood that Indian authorities have shown interest in the Japanese proposal, recognising the potential for acquiring advanced technologies and boosting domestic industrial growth. Participation could offer synergies with India's own ambitions for developing advanced combat aircraft, such as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program.

Japan regards India as an essential partner in its strategic vision for security in the Indo-Pacific. The two countries have an established history of defence collaboration, including regular joint military exercises such as "Dharma Guardian" between their armies and participation in multilateral naval exercises like "Malabar."

Integrating India into the GCAP could significantly deepen this existing strategic and defence partnership, marking a new phase of collaboration.

 

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[R. Singh]

Evaluate and must join Japan and EU to develop next gen fighter ! Even better develop its unmanned variants also !

 

[DB_NE_Guy]

India should join it as Plan B. If we do, within a few years we might be able to operate 6th Gen Jets by the time we have fully inducted AMCA. It is the only option to catch China. If not, then the only other out-of-textbook option is to name AMCA as an 8th Gen Jet.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

No need. We have our own AMCA 5.5 gen with 6th gen engine.

 

[Srinivas Nirmal Kumar Avula]

Japan and India are trusted friends and have very good relations over the years. Joint development of 6th generation aircraft with Japan is a very good idea as compared to any other country in the world.

 

[Sandeep]

The problem is that they only want India’s money.

Those 3 countries have already made a work share deal on who develops and manufactures what. Also their project was started years ago and all 3 teams have been involved in developing the jet right from the start while we haven’t so we can’t learn much of the technology development involved from the first stage. This puts us at a disadvantage on learning and understanding the science and technology along with how and why to develop the jet as it’s currently at.

 

[Tornado]

We must join! A great chance for us to pivot to latest technology, while we work on our own AMCA.

 

[Varshan Keda]

Hopefully India joins in it and reduces the gap in the sixth-generation development platform. If we join in it with parallel AMCA development, we will posture a highly advanced air superiority force around 2040 with 100 GCAP, 200 AMCA, 200 Tejas Mk 2, 150 Rafales, 250 Super Sukhois, and 300 Tejas Mk1A.

This will also give us an edge in a new group of strong democratic alliances, especially with Japan. We can give a strong posture to aggressive, assertive China. Japan is our natural ally against China because both have historically problematic relationships with China.

 

[Alok Gupta]

It is high time India joined one of the 6th gen efforts. Work on the AMCA has already started and it will definitely benefit from some of the technologies from the 6th gen plane. India is a long way from developing a 6th gen plane. India's neighbours have already acquired 5th gen planes and are proliferating them. Instead of being a perpetual chaser, it is time for India to join a winning consortium and be a step ahead of its enemies. Such an opportunity does not arise every day. It is best to join a non-US effort as the US can be wishy-washy during a time of crisis.

 

[Enforcer]

I will help people understand how projects like these work.

This is similar to the F-35. The F-35 is also a joint project, technically speaking, but it bears the name Lockheed Martin because Lockheed basically designed the whole plane and outsourced the manufacturing of those components to different countries because they wanted to win contracts in those countries. Countries like Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, etc., all manufacture certain components.

So, with this deal, India will get to manufacture certain components like wings or the tail section or something like that. We will have some say in the requirements of the aircraft, like the need to operate at high altitude, in a hot climate, etc. But those countries will be the ones practically designing the whole plane. Japan mostly with the chassis and electronics, while the UK also with the chassis and engines. Those two countries have a lot of experience in designing it. Our share of the design will be very limited.

So, people thinking we will get to absorb engine tech is false. The UK will just design it completely and provide them at the final assembly with some tools and test stands for testing. They will not provide any tech. Their economy runs on high-tech manufacturing like jet engines, and they will not just give up that tech. Neither will Japan.

What we get is some blueprints of the jet for us to manufacture because we have cheap labor. We will probably also have a secondary final assembly line in the country. That is why they want us as a partner in the project, because of cheap manufacturing, not because they need our help with designing.

 

[Raja Raja Cholan]

I think India should participate in the GCAP project as this would bring multi-front wealth of knowledge in 6th generation fighter aircraft technology. Technologies are evolving at a fast pace.

If the monetary contribution is not too heavy to bear but affordable, then India should grab this opportunity and participate in the programme.

I believe that AMCA, with its dedicated team manufacturing F414 engines in India in partnership with GE, and AMCA Mk2 120kN engine collaboration with an established foreign engine producer, all these projects should be actively working simultaneously as planned.

When these projects, if not delayed and timelines revised (which normally happens), then India's defence industries can realise the potentials in advanced technology required to build formidable fighter aircraft of the next generation with the immense knowledge gained through collaborative efforts with foreign partners.

When we have achieved all these projects and gained a considerable amount of knowledge, we can have fully indigenous future projects in India.