What he saying (in the bolded part above, second para) is a utopian wish list. Even he knows that is not going to happen. Babus never give up control.
In the quote that is highlighted above, he also states this...
The Su-75, though smaller, is still some distance away. Its first flight timelines may be close to AMCA. But Russia does have the advantage of its own engine and stealth technologies, and the aircraft would be ahead of AMCA.
Su-75 will be ahead of AMCA? Russia has stealth technologies? What are the basis of these claims? This is called playing the dual role of
Good Cop-Bad Cop. Send out feelers and see what the response is. Keep legs in two different camps and then jump ship to one side (when it favours you). When AMCA has developmental/technological challenges, the Su-75 is always there as a backup. This is how the bokwas of "
emergency imports" starts.
How many retired Generals from the USAF will write something like this --->
"Due to the perceived delays in the NGAD program, the US Govt must look into acquiring FCAS or Tempest platforms from Europe." That General will be ostracized from the USAF fraternity. But this is considered norm in the IAF?
If the development of the Tejas Mk2 is dropped, Air HQ will import even more foreign fighters than the planned 114 MRFA.
I-must-have-5th-generation-fighters-because-my-enemies-have-them is a sure fire recipe for disaster, in the development of local programs. Panic purchases have always led to disasters (capability wise and logistical) for the IAF. To counter the 40+ F-16A/B purchase from the PAF in the early 1980s, Air HQ purchased not ONE, not TWO...but THREE different fighter platforms and none in sufficient numbers to replace aging platforms.
* First purchase was the MiG-23MF which turned out to be less than stellar.
* Then came the Mirage 2000H/TH and a local assembly assembly factory was planned. This never materialized because the Russians swooped in with the MiG-29 offer. What was a 40 + 150 assembly offer, ended up with only ~60 airframes being acquired.
* When the Mirage 2000 assembly deal fell through, the IAF acquired three squadrons of MiG-29s.
One out of the three has long been retired, the other is getting a second life extension and the third is soldiering on post her (very expensive) upgrade. Do we really want a repetition of the above?
In the near future, Pakistan will likely get the J-31. Then Air HQ will panic and acquire Su-75. Pakistan is also joining Turkey's 5th generation Kaan program. Then the Su-75 will be subpar and then Air HQ will clamour for F-35. Finally when AMCA comes on board, Air HQ will whine about very thin windscreen, poor endurance, not stealthy enough, those rivets appear to be from some jugaad store in Mumbai's Chor Bazaar, etc...the list will be endless. So will acquire just a few squadrons, just so that Air HQ can wear the badge of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Su-75 and F-35 Ki Jai Ho!