From Ghatak to Ghost: Can India build a B-2 bomber rival?

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Bomber Gap

While the U.S. B-2 slips past global radars with nuclear payloads, India’s skies remain without a stealth bomber. The absence is strategic—and growing more visible with every global conflict.

Ghatak Ghost

India’s Ghatak drone looks like a baby B-2, all flying wing and stealth curves—but it’s unmanned, unarmed for now, and far from the payload powerhouses that define true strategic reach.

Shadow Future

A 50-ton manned stealth bomber design, mirroring the B-2’s mission profile, circulates in Indian defense circles. No funding, no prototype—yet—but the ambition is unmistakably airborne.

AMCA Mirage

India’s stealthy AMCA fighter promises high agility and electronic warfare—but it’s a tactical bird, not a long-range bomber. Don’t mistake stealth paint for strategic depth.

Prototype Pulse

Ghatak’s scaled-down tech demonstrator flew in 2022. But full-scale stealth strike capability is years away—raising questions about whether India can bridge its long-range strike deficit in time.

Doctrine Divide

The B-2 is built to launch nukes undetected across continents. India’s focus remains regional, its delivery systems ground- and missile-based. Will strategy shift before it’s too late?

Budget Bind

Stealth bombers demand deep pockets, deep tech, and decades of testing. With AMCA and Ghatak already straining budgets, a full-scale stealth bomber could push India’s defense R&D to its limit.

Radar Dreams

True stealth isn’t just about shape—it’s about heat, sound, and electromagnetic discipline. The B-2 took decades to perfect. India’s designs have a long runway to catch up.

Asia’s Absence

No Asian nation—China included—currently operates a true stealth bomber. India’s decision to enter that club would be more than military—it would be a declaration of global intent.