India’s Fighter Jet Shortage: Why Paris Is Now New Delhi’s Best Bet

India is moving to join France’s next-generation fighter jet programme, a long-term gamble to secure a place in the future of air combat—from cutting-edge technology to the industrial work of designing and building new warplanes. Analysts, however, warn that the deal, while a major boost to India’s defence ties with France, will do little to fix the country’s immediate shortage of combat aircraft. New Delhi’s defence ministry told lawmakers last week that it had “initiated” steps to enter the French-led project, which aims to develop a sixth-generation fighter. Unlike current jets, these aircraft are expected to use artificial intelligence, networked sensors, and stealth features to dominate future battlefields. The move is part of India’s broader push to modernise its air force, which faces a dwindling number of fighter squadrons even as regional rivals expand their fleets. By joining the French programme early, India hopes to gain not just planes, but also the know-how to build its own advanced jets in the coming decades. Yet experts say the timeline for sixth-generation fighters is long—likely beyond 2035—meaning India’s current fleet will still have to carry the load for years. The immediate gap, they note, can only be filled by buying or making existing jets faster.