Why India thinks France could be the ideal partner for a sixth-generation fighter jet

India is increasingly looking at France as a potential partner for a sixth-generation fighter jet programme, partly because the country's defence forces already operate a large inventory of French aircraft, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has said.

India had earlier expressed interest in two multinational sixth-generation fighter programmes involving countries that New Delhi considers friendly. One involves the UK, Japan and Italy, while another involved France and Germany.

Germany's exit from the latter programme, however, appears to have strengthened the case for India exploring cooperation directly with France.

“We are veering around to the idea that, now that Germany has left, perhaps the French programme, since we have a large inventory of French aircraft, is something we should examine,” Singh said.

India has already expressed its interest and discussions are being pursued with France, according to the defence secretary.

“We are pursuing discussions with the French, and we will see how that goes, but we have expressed our interest,” he said.

The latest comments come a few months after a parliamentary panel revealed that the defence ministry had “initiated efforts” to co-join the France-led Future Combat Air System (FCAS) sixth-generation fighter aircraft development programme.

According to the panel, the Indian Air Force wants to consider a sixth-generation fighter aircraft programme immediately to ensure that it does “not lag” in achieving its advanced aircraft requirements.

India's interest in FCAS also comes eight years after it withdrew from another collaborative fighter development effort involving Russia — the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project.

Manned-unmanned teaming sits at the heart of the sixth-generation fighter concept. As air defence systems become increasingly capable, directly sending an expensive crewed fighter into a heavily defended battlespace may not always be the preferred option.

Instead, cheaper, low-observable uncrewed aircraft can be deployed ahead of the manned fighter to help shape the battlespace.

India's discussions with France could potentially offer the country a route into sixth-generation combat aviation as it seeks to ensure that the IAF does not fall behind in the development of advanced fighter aircraft.