BangaloreAeronautical Development Agency (ADA) began a two-day national seminar titled “Aeronautics 2047” on 04 January 2026 at the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) in Bengaluru, bringing together stakeholders from industry, academia and government to discuss the long-term direction of India’s aerospace and aeronautics ecosystem. The event focuses on technology development, manufacturing capabilities and design innovation needed to support future military aviation programmes.
The seminar marks a milestone year for ADA, coinciding with 25 years since the first flight of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. According to a press release issued by the Press Information Bureau under the Ministry of Defence, the seminar was inaugurated by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, who highlighted the importance of meeting delivery timelines to maintain the operational readiness of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
The event agenda covers a wide range of technical areas relevant to next-generation aircraft development. These include manufacturing and assembly processes for future aircraft, digital manufacturing, aerodynamics for next-generation combat platforms, propulsion technologies, flight testing techniques, digital twin applications, certification challenges, flight control systems and avionics. Other focus areas include maintainability challenges in fighter aircraft, the use of artificial intelligence in aircraft design, and precision manufacturing for actuators.
Senior officials from the defence research establishment addressed the seminar, underlining the role of indigenous technology development in reducing dependence on imports. The programme has attracted domain experts, industrial partners, public sector undertakings, defence public sector undertakings, micro, small and medium enterprises, and academic institutions, many of whom are showcasing indigenously developed products for airborne applications during the event.
A significant portion of the seminar is dedicated to the LCA Tejas programme, tracing its development journey from initial design to operational induction. ADA has designed and developed the LCA Tejas, which has completed more than 5,600 flight trials. Over 100 design and development centres, including government laboratories, academic institutions and industry partners, have been involved in the programme. The project led to the development of several technologies such as carbon composites, lightweight materials, fly-by-wire flight control systems, digital utility management systems and glass cockpit architecture, enabling the aircraft to meet fourth-generation fighter standards.
The LCA Mk1A, an advanced variant of the aircraft, is intended to meet the operational requirements of the IAF, while the LCA Mk II and the naval variant are currently under development. As of January 2026, a total of 38 LCA aircraft, including 32 fighters and six trainers, have been inducted into two IAF squadrons.
Aeronautical Development Agency is a defence research organisation under the Ministry of Defence, responsible for the design and development of combat aircraft and advanced aeronautical systems for India’s armed forces.On Date: