Defence Ministry to Greenlight AMCA Contract with Public-Private Partnership within Next 3-6 Months, Confirms Defence Secretary

In a major boost to India's indigenous military aviation capabilities, the Ministry of Defence is on track to award the development contract for the advanced fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) within the next three to six months.

The confirmation came directly from Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, signalling a firm timeline for the nation's most ambitious combat aircraft project to date.

The AMCA programme is a critical strategic initiative aimed at developing a domestically produced stealth fighter, which will enhance the capabilities of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy.

The successful creation of the AMCA will place India among a very small and elite group of nations with the ability to design and manufacture their own fifth-generation combat aircraft, a significant step in addressing the evolving security landscape and military modernisation in the region.

Overseen by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the project received formal approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in March 2024. A budget of ₹15,000 crore was allocated for the initial phase, which includes the design, development, and testing of five prototypes.

The programme will be executed through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) under a public-private partnership model, a landmark move to increase private sector participation in the nation's defence manufacturing sector. This allows leading private companies such as Tata and Larsen & Toubro to bid for the project, alongside the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The process for selecting a development partner is already underway. The ADA issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) on June 18, 2025, formally inviting Indian firms to participate in the prototype development and certification.

Following a pre-bid meeting with potential applicants in early July, the final deadline for responses is set for August 16, 2025. The partner chosen for this crucial project will be responsible for establishing dedicated manufacturing facilities.

The first prototype is expected to be completed by 2028, with its inaugural flight anticipated by late 2028 or early 2029.

The AMCA is being designed as a 25-tonne, twin-engine, all-weather multirole fighter. Its advanced features will include superior stealth to avoid enemy radar, an internal bay for carrying 1,500 kg of weapons, and the ability to carry an additional 5,500 kg of external munitions and fuel.

The aircraft will be developed in two phases. The initial Mk1 version will be powered by the General Electric F414 engine, while the more advanced Mk2 variant is planned to feature a more powerful, new-generation engine to be co-developed in India with an international partner, likely Safran of France.

With development trials projected to conclude by 2034, the AMCA is expected to enter full-scale production by 2035 and become a mainstay of India’s aerial defence fleet.

The program's success is a cornerstone of India's 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' policy in the defence sector, aiming to build a robust industrial ecosystem and reduce dependency on foreign military imports.

 

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[sanket]

Good, countdown has been for announcing foreign partner for engine development for AMCA, 50 days to go. Most likely it would be RR.

 

[Rinku Pandey]

Great news. I'm sure AMCA will be inducted by 2030 if GOI carries on with this pace. But I request Bharat to sign the F414 deal as it is going to take 3 years for the first engine to roll out post-signing.

 

[Bks kumar]

AMCA prototypes can be fast-tracked. HAL and DRDO should review how SpaceX's Elon Musk started Falcon rockets from scratch with innovative and out-of-the-box smart ideas, which contributed to speedy execution, cost-cutting, and advanced technology for the project.

 

[sanjay9negi]

HAL should be banned from bidding for AMCA... because it has the political and bureaucratic heft to spike the pitch in its favour...

 

[Sandeep]

Now the private sector has a very good opportunity to take advantage of this project. Once the company receives clearance and selected they have got to move very quickly and manufacture the prototype. That will allow us to carry out a huge number of tests which takes a long time. This is normal when developing any other standard jet but with the AMCA and its advanced technology and capabilities it will take even longer.

 

[Pankaj]

It's good that a timeline has been fixed, and this is the right attitude to finish the projects on time. AMCA is a very critical project and will lead the nation into the elite group of countries. After the successful development of AMCA, India will become a major defence exporter.