New Delhi: India is preparing to enter a new era in strategic air power with the development of its own stealth bomber, a highly advanced aircraft that aims to evade enemy radar systems and deliver precision strikes anywhere across the globe. In what defense analysts are calling a “game-changing move,” the project reportedly in early-stage development is being designed with a strike range of over 12,000 kilometers, giving it the capacity to reach targets as far as New York, London, or Beijing without the need for mid-air refueling.
This futuristic aircraft, dubbed the Ultra Long-Range Aircraft (ULRA) by sources familiar with the project, is envisioned as India’s first true long-range strategic bomber. Once operational, it will catapult India into an elite group of military powers alongside the United States, Russia, and China that possess the capability to launch global airstrikes from within their own borders.
The design philosophy behind ULRA is said to borrow from existing platforms like the Russian TU-160 "Blackjack" and the U.S. B-21 Raider, but Indian engineers aim to outpace both in terms of range, stealth, and payload flexibility. The bomber will reportedly feature a flying wing design, radar-absorbent materials, an internal weapons bay, and state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems. It will be capable of operating undetected in hostile airspace and launching devastating conventional or nuclear payloads before swiftly exiting the battle zone.
The planned armaments include BrahMos-NG supersonic cruise missiles, Agni-1P short-range ballistic missiles, smart bombs, and anti-radiation missiles. The aircraft is also being designed to integrate AI-assisted mission systems, allowing greater autonomy in high-threat environments.
The ULRA project is a collaborative effort involving India’s premier defense institutions: the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). According to reports, India is in exploratory talks with Russia and France for assistance in key areas such as engine technology, advanced composite materials, and active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar systems.
A major hurdle in the project remains the development or acquisition of a suitable high-thrust jet engine. Candidates being considered include derivatives of the Russian NK-32 engine used in the TU-160 or a customized version of the GE-414 engine, already tested in India’s Tejas and AMCA fighter platforms.
The strategic value of a bomber like the ULRA is immense. For India, which has long relied on missiles and submarines for deterrence, this bomber would provide the third leg of a credible strategic triad offering long-range, flexible, manned delivery of both nuclear and conventional weapons.
Military experts believe that the bomber would not only be capable of deep-penetration strikes against fortified enemy infrastructure, but also serve as a visible symbol of deterrence and geopolitical leverage. In times of tension, such an asset can be deployed to demonstrate India’s global strike capability without firing a shot.
The stealth bomber forms part of a broader push to modernize and indigenize India’s military capabilities. It complements the development of the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) India’s fifth-generation fighter jet expected to fly by 2029 and the Ghatak UCAV, a stealth drone bomber now undergoing weapons integration trials.
India is also bolstering its air defense and surveillance capabilities through projects like the Surya VHF radar, which can detect stealth aircraft at long ranges, and satellite-linked swarm drones and hypersonic missile programs. This convergence of technologies signals a clear goal: strategic autonomy in the aerospace domain.
While the ULRA project is still in its nascent phase, with a prototype not expected before 2032–2035, its significance lies in its ambition. Building such an aircraft will demand not just engineering expertise, but sustained investment, global collaboration, and political will. Each bomber may cost several hundred million dollars, and its supporting infrastructure long runways, hardened hangars, cyber protection must be built in parallel.
Yet, the vision is clear. India no longer wants to be seen merely as a regional player with defensive postures. With ULRA, it is preparing to project power across continents, to deter threats beyond its neighborhood, and to shape a security environment where its voice cannot be ignored.
This stealth bomber initiative is not just about warfighting it is about strategic presence, technological pride, and global responsibility.