- Request for proposal issued for India's first homegrown fifth-generation stealth fighter AMCA
- Three private players invited to build AMCA, excluding state-owned HAL for the first time
- Rs 15,000 crore government-funded project includes five prototypes at a new Andhra Pradesh facility
In a landmark move for India's defence industry, the government today issued the request for proposal (RFP) for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, or AMCA, the country's first homegrown fifth-generation stealth fighter.
For the first time in a major fighter jet programme, the Defence Ministry has kept out state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and invited three private players: Tata Advanced Systems, the L&T-BEL-Dynamatic consortium, and the Bharat Forge-BEML-Data Patterns consortium.
The Rs 15,000 crore project will see the winning private partner build five prototypes of the AMCA at a new greenfield facility in Andhra Pradesh.
This is historic as it opens fighter jet manufacturing to the private sector in India and promises faster development. It also strengthens India's push for self-reliance in cutting-edge aerospace technology.
The government is fully funding the Rs 15,000 crore project to build the AMCA prototype. The winning private partner will, however, have to work with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in building five flying prototypes and one structural test aircraft. This work will be done at the new 650-acre facility in Andhra Pradesh's Puttaparthi.
The ADA and DRDO had issued an expression of interest on the stealth fighter jet project in mid 2025 and seven players had sent in bids. After technical evaluation in February, the three private players were shortlisted.
They have two-three months to submit detailed bids; the 'L1' selection and contract award are expected to be completed by January-March 2027, with the first prototype flight expected between 2028 and 2032. It may enter service after 2035 with series production at the new facility.
Once it is inducted, India will join an exclusive list of countries with fifth-generation fighters. As of May 2025, only the US (F-22 and F-35), China (J-20) and Russia (Su-57) have these.
The AMCA is likely to be a single-seat twin-engine jet with advanced stealth coatings and internal weapons bays like those on US and Russian planes - the F-22, F-35, and Su-57. It is expected to have an operational ceiling of 55,000 feet and carry 1,500 kg in weapons in internal bays, with 5,500 kg more externally. The AMCA will likely carry a further 6,500 kg in fuel.
