Our Bureau
New Delhi
India’s ambitious Advanced Multirole Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme has entered a decisive phase, with the defence ministry narrowing the race to three private players, Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and Bharat Forge, while state‑owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has been left out of the shortlist. The move marks a major shift in India’s fighter‑jet ecosystem, opening the country’s largest‑ever military R&D project to private industry leadership.
Under the current plan, the selected firm will partner with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to build five AMCA prototypes, with an indicative government outlay of about ₹15,000 crore for this initial phase. The defence ministry has evaluated technical bids from seven Indian companies and shortlisted TASL, L&T and Bharat Forge on parameters such as design‑absorption capability, prior experience in development and integration, manufacturing scale and financial strength. The final winner is expected to be chosen within the next three months after the shortlisted bidders submit detailed commercial proposals.
Once the prototypes are proven, the Indian Air Force is projected to place an initial order of around 120 fifth‑generation stealth fighters, with deliveries targeted from the mid‑2030s. The AMCA is being designed with advanced features including low‑observable stealth, AI‑assisted cockpit systems, long‑range targeting sensors, and the ability to operate in tandem with unmanned combat aerial vehicles. With this, the government is signalling a push to deepen private‑sector participation in core aerospace platforms, even as HAL continues to play a critical role in other programmes such as the Tejas Mk‑1A.
