Vijay Kumar Saraswat, former head of DRDO and a member of NITI Aayog, stated on Thursday that India's investment in scientific development and innovation is significantly lower than in developed countries, and that the government needs to increase funding in this area.
Speaking at the AEDEX + AIRPORT Expo 2026 in Delhi, Saraswat emphasized the need for greater investment in innovation and research. He also called for allowing more active technology transfer from DRDO to India's private sector for mass production of critical weaponry. Furthermore, he noted that key government organizations should support the private sector, and government defense structures should provide their facilities for private companies to test weapons, thereby accelerating the development of critical systems and subsystems required for fighter jets such as AMCA.
Currently, India allocates about 0.8% of its GDP to research and development (R&D), which lags behind major economies. In contrast, developed nations like the USA, South Korea, and Israel allocate between 2.7% and 5% of their GDP to R&D.
Commenting on the delay in the delivery of the Tejas Mk1A aircraft due to late shipment of GE F404-IN20 engines from the American company GE, Saraswat advised: 'We should study the experience of the GE F404 and develop our own engine.'
Amitabh Saraf, Director of Programs (Fighter Aircraft) and Director of the Aeronautical Defence Agency, noted that the ADA has developed many indigenous systems. However, he added that developing a fighter jet is an extremely complex process, and the fighter project still requires a large number of indigenous systems and subsystems, including imported flight controls, AC generators, hydraulic and fuel pumps, and carbon fiber.