India has officially joined the multinational Eurodrone program as an observer nation. The announcement was made by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), which welcomed India’s participation in the cutting-edge Eurodrone Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) program.
OCCAR is responsible for overseeing a range of prominent European defense projects, including the A400M Atlas airlifter, the Boxer armored utility vehicle, the Tiger attack helicopter, and the Horizon Mid-life Upgrade (MLU)/FREMM multirole frigates.
Joachim Sucker, the Director of OCCAR-Executive Administration (EA), personally delivered the observer nation Letter of Approval to the Indian Embassy in Berlin on January 21.
The OCCAR-EA Director congratulated the Government of India on this milestone and expressed optimism that this will lay the groundwork for a long, fruitful, and mutually beneficial cooperation.
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India’s inclusion in the Eurodrone program makes it the second Asia-Pacific country, after Japan, to gain observer status. India’s application for observer status was submitted in August 2024, following Japan’s admission as an observer in November 2023.
While observer nations, such as India, are granted access to technical data and the ability to place orders for the aircraft, they are not involved in the decision-making processes regarding the platform’s design, development, or the distribution of workshare among the participating countries.
All in all, their role is confined to receiving information and having the option to purchase the aircraft without any influence on the core aspects of its creation or the allocation of responsibilities among the primary partners.
Though OCCAR did not elaborate on the specific benefits India stands to gain, the move aligns with India’s broader defense strategy, which includes deepening technology collaboration with global partners.
India’s involvement in the Eurodrone program comes on the heels of a joint defense cooperation agreement with Germany signed in October 2024. This agreement outlines commitments to technology collaboration, co-production, and co-development of defense platforms.
The Eurodrone program, launched in 2016, is valued at an estimated €7 billion ($7.3 billion) and is led by the four European nations of France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Major industry partners such as Airbus, Dassault, and Leonardo are driving the project, which is crafted to lower European reliance on non-European systems like the US MQ-9B. However, the Eurodrone program has been plagued by delays and escalating costs.
A German Armed Forces annual armaments review previously criticized the coordination challenges between Airbus and Dassault, attributing them as the key factor behind the delay in the drone’s preliminary design review. The first prototype flight of this drone is scheduled for 2027.
India’s Next-Generation Fighter Dilemma
India’s entry into the multinational Eurodrone program is a clear signal of New Delhi’s evolving defense ties with European nations.
This development could pave the way for deeper ties with European defense manufacturers, a move that appears necessary given the mounting challenges faced by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in modernizing its airpower.
The IAF is currently struggling to meet its required strength, with delays in the production of new fighter jets making it increasingly difficult to replace its aging fleet. Currently, the IAF operates only 31 squadrons, far below the approved strength of 42—marking the lowest number of squadrons since the 1965 war with Pakistan.
The outlook for India’s air force is further clouded by setbacks in its indigenous fifth-generation aircraft development program, AMCA, which has been sluggish. Technical difficulties, coupled with resource constraints, have plagued the program and left India with limited options to modernize its fleet.
Even the MRFA contract, where India is planning to acquire 126 multi-role fighters, has been pending for a long time.
This lack of progress is especially concerning given the advancements made by India’s regional adversaries. China, in particular, has leapfrogged India in terms of fighter jet development and deployment.
In recent years, Beijing accelerated production of the J-20 fifth-generation fighter jet and could deploy up to 1000 stealth fighters by 2035. However, these concerns were exacerbated when, in November 2024, China unveiled its second stealth fighter, the J-35A, at the Zhuhai Air Show.
As if that wasn’t enough, just a month later, Beijing shocked the world by flying prototypes of its sixth-generation fighters, the Chengdu J-36 and the Shenyang J-XX/J-50, signaling that China could become the first country to induct a sixth-generation fighter jet into service.
Pakistan, India’s staunch rival, is also reportedly on track to acquire the newly unveiled J-35A from China. Islamabad is also collaborating with Turkey on the KAAN project, a fifth-generation fighter jet program.
Besides the big-ticket MRFA deal, India has three fifth-gen options: the US F-35 Lightning II, Russian Su-57 Felon, and indigenous AMCA (where India may need a technological partner).
Of the three options, the Su-57 has been plagued by production challenges as Russia remains deeply entrenched in its ongoing war with Ukraine. Moscow is also working on another stealth aircraft, the Sukhoi Su-75 Checkmate, but the project is still in its conceptual stages, with uncertain funding and limited prospects for immediate development.
This situation essentially narrows India’s choices down to the F-35 Lightning II. However, the United States has not officially offered the aircraft to India.
Moreover, as exemplified by Turkey’s expulsion from the F-35 program after it acquired the Russian S-400 air defense system, India’s own operation of the S-400 further complicates the matter.
At the same time, even India has not been very keen to include the US in its fighter jet ecosystem. Additionally, acquiring the F-35, without any tech transfer, may not be very tempting for India.
This is where European defense programs, including the next-generation GCAP (Global Combat Air Programme) and SCAF (Système de Combat Aérien du Futur) programs, might offer India a viable path forward.
The GCAP is spearheaded by the United Kingdom, Japan, and Italy, whereas the FCAS (Future Combat Air System) initiative is a collaborative effort led by France, Germany, and Spain.
Both programs aim to build a sixth-generation fighter jet that will incorporate cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence, autonomous capabilities, advanced stealth features, and enhanced data-sharing systems.
Given the involvement of France, Germany, and Spain in the Eurodrone project, it is not far-fetched to anticipate that New Delhi might seek participation in European next-generation fighter jet development.
Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retired), a veteran Indian Air Force fighter pilot, has previously highlighted this aspect, emphasizing that India cannot afford to lag behind.
While New Delhi evaluates its options for acquiring a fifth-generation aircraft, Chopra argued that it must also begin working on sixth-generation technologies to stay ahead in the evolving defense landscape.
He pointed out that many countries have opted for collaborative routes in defense technology development. The question for India, he suggested, is whether it should align itself with the GCAP or the FCAS program.
These are challenging decisions, as collaboration entails sharing costs and risks, factors that require careful consideration, Chopra concluded.
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