No more hand-me-downs! India gears up to build 40 fighter jets a year, says IAF chief

India is intensifying its focus on self-reliance in defence manufacturing, with Air Chief Marshal A P Singh asserting the Indian Air Forces (IAF) preference for homegrown systems, even if their performance is slightly lower than global alternatives. Speaking at the Chanakya Dialogues conclave, he stressed the need to produce 35-40 fighter jets annually and highlighted the role of domestic defence industries in sustaining long conflicts. He also pointed to rapid advancements in automation and AI within the IAF.