India Strikes Back: AMCA Stealth Fighter Greenlit to Counter China’s J-20 and Pakistan’s J-35A Threat

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) —In a dramatic escalation of South Asia’s fifth-generation airpower race, India has greenlit the development of its first indigenous stealth fighter jet—the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)—in a strategic response to the growing threat posed by China’s J-20 fleet and Pakistan’s accelerating acquisition of the stealthy J-35A “Gyrfalcon.”

The approval, granted by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, comes at a time when India faces a serious two-front air combat threat from fifth-generation fighters already fielded by China and soon to be deployed by Pakistan, marking a critical inflection point in the regional aerial balance.

“In a significant push towards enhancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities and fostering a robust domestic aerospace industrial ecosystem, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model,” the Ministry of Defence confirmed in a statement.

According to Defence Security Asia and multiple Indian defence sources, the move is seen as a direct reaction to confirmed reports that Pakistan is pursuing up to 40 units of the Chinese-made J-35A, a carrier-capable stealth fighter that shares key radar-evading design traits with the Chinese J-20 and the American F-35C.

The J-35A—also designated as FC-31 by its developer, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation—is set to become Pakistan’s first fifth-generation platform, representing a paradigm shift in the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) ability to conduct deep-penetration and first-day-of-war operations under the cover of stealth.

As of early 2025, Pakistan is reportedly in final-stage negotiations with China, with Chinese military-industrial sources suggesting the first batch could be delivered by 2026, potentially in sync with the J-35’s formal induction into the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

With stealth shaping clearly designed to reduce radar cross-section across multiple angles, the J-35A is seen by analysts as a hybrid of the F-35C and the F-22, optimized for both carrier-based and land-based operations—a flexibility that will significantly enhance Pakistan’s strike options.

 

 

India’s intelligence community and strategic planners have taken particular note of the PL-15 air-to-air missile compatibility, a next-generation BVR weapon with an estimated range exceeding 200 km, giving the J-35A a decisive edge in beyond-visual-range engagements.

The PL-15—equipped with an active radar seeker and dual-pulse motor—has already drawn significant attention from Western air forces, many of whom view it as a direct challenge to the U.S. AIM-120D and even the long-range European MBDA Meteor, especially when paired with stealth fighters like the J-35A and J-20.

This concern is heightened by the operational presence of the J-10C—also equipped with the PL-15—in the Pakistan Air Force, with reports suggesting these platforms played a pivotal role in long-range aerial dominance during the Pahalgam engagement under Operation Sindoor.

“The J-35 will be a game-changer,” Defence Security Asia wrote, referencing its stealth integration and Pakistan’s parallel development of secure datalinks, AESA ground stations, and hardened infrastructure to support fifth-gen operations.

To address this mounting threat, India’s AMCA will be developed as a fifth-generation platform with comparable, if not superior, capabilities including low observability, supercruise, internal weapons carriage, advanced electronic warfare, and AI-enabled sensor fusion.

The AMCA will complement the Tejas Mk1A and Mk2 programmes and is expected to form the core of India’s air combat doctrine by the mid-2030s.

Officials from the Ministry of Defence estimate that the first prototype of the AMCA could be rolled out by 2028–29, with series production commencing in 2032–33, and induction targeted for 2034.

In a major break from legacy defence procurement policy, the Ministry has invited Indian private sector firms to participate in the AMCA programme, either independently or as part of a joint venture or consortium.

“They can bid either independently or as a joint venture or as consortia. The entity/bidder should be an Indian company compliant with the laws and regulations of the country,” the Ministry clarified.

Despite its long-standing role in India’s fighter jet ecosystem, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will not be given default manufacturing rights and must compete under the new model.

“HAL has the advantage of experience, but they will have to bid along with the industry either individually or in a consortium with others,” two defence officials confirmed.

“[HAL] will have to fight it out,” one of them added, signaling a competitive and transparent defence-industrial procurement model.

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is expected to release an Expression of Interest (EoI) in the coming months to begin the full-scale development phase.

For India, the AMCA programme is no longer a matter of industrial ambition—it is now a strategic imperative.

With China fielding both the J-20 and the J-35, and Pakistan moving swiftly toward stealth parity, India must now deliver on its fifth-generation promise—or risk falling behind in a region where air superiority increasingly defines the balance of power.

J-35A/FC-31 Technical Specifications

(As reported by Defence Security Asia, Chinese defence publications, and Western military analysis sources)

The J-35A, also known as the FC-31 “Gyrfalcon,” is a fifth-generation, twin-engine stealth fighter developed by China’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, featuring design optimizations for both carrier-based and land-based operations.

The aircraft measures approximately 17.3 metres in length with a wingspan of 11.5 metres, placing it within the size category of medium-weight stealth fighters and slightly smaller than the Chengdu J-20.

Its maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) is estimated between 28 to 30 tonnes, offering a balance between payload capacity and operational range.

The J-35A is powered by twin WS-19 afterburning turbofan engines, a significant upgrade over the earlier WS-13, offering increased thrust, improved fuel efficiency, reduced infrared signature, and potential integration of thrust vectoring for enhanced maneuverability.

The fighter’s maximum speed is estimated at Mach 1.8, enabling it to engage or evade adversaries in high-speed aerial combat scenarios.

It boasts an estimated combat radius of 1,200 to 1,250 kilometres, which can be further extended through internal fuel tanks and aerial refueling capability—an essential requirement for deep-strike and maritime interdiction missions.

Designed with low observability in mind, the J-35A incorporates advanced stealth features, including radar-absorbing materials (RAM), canted vertical stabilizers, S-shaped air intakes, a frameless canopy, and an internal weapons bay, all of which contribute to a reduced radar cross-section (RCS) and increased survivability in contested airspace.

The aircraft’s internal weapons bay is capable of housing PL-15 beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missiles, PL-10 high off-boresight short-range missiles, and a variety of precision-guided air-to-ground munitions, ensuring stealth compatibility during multi-role missions.

Equipped with a Chinese-made Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, the J-35A is expected to deliver advanced sensor fusion, multi-target tracking, and low-probability-of-intercept (LPI) characteristics, enhancing both situational awareness and survivability.

The avionics suite includes a fully digital glass cockpit, a Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) for high-agility dogfighting and missile cueing, and integrated onboard systems designed for network-centric warfare.

With its multirole combat capability, the J-35A is envisioned to perform a broad range of missions, including air superiority, precision strike, maritime strike, and electronic warfare, making it a versatile and potent addition to any modern air force.

Once inducted, the J-35A is expected to significantly enhance Pakistan’s aerial deterrence posture and power projection capability, especially when deployed alongside China’s J-20 and in conjunction with long-range missiles like the PL-15.

Analysts believe that if China, India, and Pakistan all successfully field fifth-generation fighters armed with long-range missiles like the PL-15, the region could enter a new era of standoff air combat, where the ability to detect, jam, and strike from well beyond visual range determines air superiority—potentially replacing traditional dogfighting altogether.

In such an environment, stealth, sensor fusion, and electronic warfare will become the decisive pillars of dominance, and whichever air force masters these domains first may well control the skies of Asia for decades to come.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA