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Tata, L&T, Bharat Forge Compete for India’s AMCA Stealth Jet Project
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Rs 15,000 Crore AMCA Programme Signals Big Boost for India’s Defence Manufacturing
News Desk: India has taken a decisive step towards developing its first indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft, with the Defence Ministry issuing the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the ambitious Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme. The move marks a major shift in India’s defence manufacturing strategy, as the government has excluded state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from the initial prototype competition and opened the programme entirely to private industry-led consortiums.
The AMCA project is regarded as one of India’s most strategically significant aerospace programmes and is expected to strengthen the country’s push for self-reliance in advanced military aviation under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative.
Three private-sector contenders have now been shortlisted for the project:
- Tata Advanced Systems
- The Larsen & Toubro-Bharat Electronics Limited-Dynamatic consortium
- The Bharat Forge-BEML-Data Patterns consortium
The decision represents the first time India has entrusted a major fighter jet development programme primarily to private players, signalling a broader transformation in the country’s defence-industrial ecosystem.
Rs 15,000-Crore Prototype Programme
The Centre has committed around Rs 15,000 crore for the prototype development phase of the AMCA project. The selected consortium will build five flying prototypes and one structural test aircraft in collaboration with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The programme is expected to be developed at a new 650-acre aerospace manufacturing hub proposed in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh. Officials believe the facility could eventually become a major centre for indigenous fighter aircraft production and advanced aerospace manufacturing.
The shortlisted firms are expected to submit detailed technical and commercial bids within the next few months. Government officials anticipate the final contract award between January and March 2027. The first AMCA prototype flight is projected between 2028 and 2032, while operational induction into the Indian Air Force is expected after 2035.
A Strategic Shift Away from HAL Dominance
The exclusion of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited from the prototype race has triggered intense debate within India’s defence sector. For decades, HAL has dominated India’s military aircraft manufacturing landscape, including programmes such as the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.
However, officials believe involving private firms could accelerate timelines, increase efficiency, foster competition and reduce delays that have affected previous indigenous fighter programmes. Reports indicate seven industry players had initially shown interest after the Expression of Interest was floated in 2025, before the list was narrowed to three consortiums following technical evaluations.
Defence analysts view the move as a watershed moment for India’s private defence manufacturing sector, which has increasingly expanded into aerospace, missile systems and advanced electronics over the last decade.
#Newsroom with @gargirawat | Historic Move As 3 Private Players In Race To Build India’s Stealth Fighter@vishnundtv reports pic.twitter.com/RXdTtutsMI
— NDTV (@ndtv) May 27, 2026
India Joins Elite Fifth-Generation Fighter Race
Once operational, the AMCA will place India among a select group of countries capable of designing and manufacturing fifth-generation stealth combat aircraft.
At present, only a handful of nations possess operational fifth-generation fighter platforms, including the United States with the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, China’s Chengdu J-20 and Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57.
The AMCA is expected to be a twin-engine, single-seat stealth fighter featuring advanced radar-evading stealth technology, internal weapons bays, long-range strike capability and sophisticated electronic warfare systems. Officials say the aircraft could operate at altitudes of nearly 55,000 feet and carry substantial internal and external weapons payloads.
Boost to Indigenous Defence Manufacturing
The AMCA programme is widely seen as a cornerstone of India’s long-term defence modernisation plans amid growing regional security challenges and the rapid expansion of advanced air power capabilities in Asia.
Industry experts believe the project could create a large ecosystem of suppliers, MSMEs, defence startups and technology firms while also strengthening India’s aerospace exports potential. The programme is expected to generate significant investments in advanced materials, avionics, stealth engineering and aerospace manufacturing technologies.
With the private sector now taking centre stage in one of India’s most ambitious defence projects, the AMCA programme could redefine the future of indigenous fighter aircraft production and position India as a serious player in the global aerospace arena.
