India is not fully prepared to counter China's advanced stealth jets and missile systems today. While India has a multi-layered air defense system and is rapidly modernizing, there remains a significant capability gap in key areas.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is a highly professional force, but it's operating with a fighter jet fleet far below its sanctioned strength, while China's People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is rapidly expanding and modernizing.

Countering Stealth Jets stealth-

The primary threat from China's air force is its J-20 stealth fighter. India currently lacks a fifth-generation stealth fighter of its own and must rely on a combination of its fourth and 4.5-generation aircraft and its air defense systems.

• IAF's Current Fleet: India's most advanced fighter, the Rafale, is considered a 4.5-generation jet. While it has an advanced radar, electronic warfare systems, and long-range missiles like the Meteor, it is still detectable by a J-20's advanced sensors and stealth design.

• The S-400 Dilemma: India has acquired the S-400 Triumf long-range surface-to-air missile system from Russia. This system is designed to detect and shoot down stealth aircraft, but its effectiveness against a modern, fifth-generation stealth fighter like the J-20 remains unproven in a real combat scenario.

• A-I-S-T-A-R-S: India's airborne warning and control systems (AWACS) and ground-based radars, such as the indigenous A-I-S-T-A-R-S, are being upgraded. However, these systems would need to be perfectly integrated and operating in a highly networked environment to have a chance of detecting a stealth fighter at a safe distance.

• The Future: AMCA: India's long-term answer is the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth-generation stealth fighter. However, this project is still in the development phase, with the first flight not expected until 2028 and induction not until the 2030s. This leaves a significant gap in the coming decade.

Countering Advanced Missile Systems-

China has a formidable arsenal of ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles that pose a major threat to India's cities, military bases, and critical infrastructure. India has a multi-layered air defense system, but it is not a complete shield.

• Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: India's indigenous two-tiered BMD program is a major deterrent. The program, developed by the DRDO, consists of a two-layered system of interceptors: an exo-atmospheric interceptor to destroy missiles outside the atmosphere and an endo-atmospheric interceptor to target them inside the atmosphere. This system is designed to counter missiles with a range of up to 5,000 km.

• S-400 and Indigenous Systems: The Russian-supplied S-400 is a highly capable system for countering a range of aerial threats, including cruise missiles. India is also developing its own long-range surface-to-air missile system under Project Kusha. The Barak-8 and MRSAM missile systems, developed in collaboration with Israel, provide a robust medium-range air defense capability.

• The Hypersonic Threat: China is developing and testing hypersonic missiles that can travel at speeds of Mach 5 and higher. These missiles are designed to be highly maneuverable, making them extremely difficult to intercept with current air defense systems. India is also working on a hypersonic missile program, but it is still in the early stages.

In conclusion, while India is a capable military power with a professional air force and a developing defense industry, it is not yet prepared to fully counter China's most advanced aerial and missile threats. The most significant vulnerabilities are the IAF's squadron shortfall and the lack of a fifth-generation stealth fighter. India is working to address these issues, but the solutions are still years away.