New Delhi: India has moved a step closer to developing its first domestically produced fifth-generation stealth fighter jet through private sector participation, with the Defence Ministry inviting commercial and technical bids from three shortlisted industry groups for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
The selected company or consortium will be responsible for manufacturing five flying prototypes along with one structural testing aircraft under the ambitious indigenous fighter project being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The Ministry of Defence has issued a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) to three contenders shortlisted earlier this year after technical evaluations. The race now includes Tata Advanced Systems competing independently, a consortium led by Larsen & Toubro along with Bharat Electronics Limited and Dynamatic Technologies, and another group featuring Bharat Forge, BEML and Data Patterns.
Officials said the chosen production partner will collaborate closely with the Aeronautical Development Agency under the DRDO to accelerate prototype development. According to the proposed timelines, the first aircraft prototype is expected to be manufactured within 30 months of signing the contract, while the aircraft could make its maiden flight within 64 months.
The project marks a significant shift in India’s defence manufacturing strategy, as it will be the first major indigenous fighter aircraft programme to be produced outside Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which has traditionally handled military aerospace manufacturing for the country.
Defence planners aim to complete the AMCA development cycle by 2034, with induction into the Indian Air Force expected from 2035 onward.
The aircraft is planned in two variants. The initial AMCA Mark-1 version is likely to use the General Electric F414 engine, while the more advanced Mark-2 variant may feature a more powerful engine currently being jointly developed by HAL and French aerospace company Safran.
The AMCA project, approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security last year, carries an estimated development cost of around ₹15,000 crore. The stealth fighter is expected to feature advanced avionics, indigenous AESA radar systems, and the capability to carry weapons both internally and externally.
Once completed, India would join a select group of nations possessing fifth-generation fighter aircraft technology, alongside countries such as the United States, Russia and China.
