India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program has reached a critical juncture, with numerous private and public sector defense corporations bidding to become long-term partners in producing the country’s first fifth-generation stealth fighter.
The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is in charge of the project. To ensure a seamless execution, ADA has requested bids for the establishment of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), which will serve as the principal industrial structure for co-developing, prototyping, and eventually manufacturing the aircraft.
The competition has piqued the curiosity of a diverse group of Indian defence players. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), with its extensive experience in military aviation manufacture, has teamed up with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to enhance its offer.
Other major contenders include TATA Advanced Systems, which has a track record in aerospace structures, Adani Defence, which focuses on advanced manufacturing, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which has avionics and electronic warfare capabilities, Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), which specializes in ground handling and support systems, and Kalyani Strategic Systems, which is known for high-end metallurgy and precision components.
Collectively, these companies show India’s desire to incorporate the private sector in significant defense programs, a departure from a history dominated by public-sector initiatives.
The AMCA is envisioned as a twin-engine multirole fighter designed for front-line offensive and defensive duties. Its stealth-oriented design has internal weapon bays to reduce radar cross-section, innovative materials optimized for low observability, and a streamlined aerodynamic profile.
Aside from stealth, the plane will feature improved avionics, network-centric combat capabilities, and sensor fusion to dramatically boost situational awareness. Another distinguishing feature is its projected supercruise capabilities, which allows it to maintain supersonic speeds without using afterburners, a need for next-generation air dominance.
The Indian government allocated ₹15,000 crore for the prototype phase. This funding will go toward the creation and testing of five prototypes to validate stealth design, aerodynamics, systems integration, and mission performance. According to the program timetable, the first prototype will be available before 2028, with the maiden flight scheduled for the same time period. Serial production and induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF) are scheduled for 2034-35, in line with the IAF’s requirement for upgraded replacements for its aging aircraft fleet.
Powering the AMCA remains a significant challenge. The earliest versions will use the tried-and-true GE F414 engine, which was previously chosen for the TEJAS MK-2 fighter, however this powerplant has limited development potential. Recognising the long-term relevance of engine self-reliance, India is in talks with global players about forming a joint venture to co-develop a more powerful indigenous turbofan engine rated between 110 and 120 kN. A homegrown solution will lessen India’s strategic dependence to imports while simultaneously strengthening its aerospace industrial base.
For decades, HAL has been the principal manufacturer of fighter jets in India. However, the AMCA initiative takes a novel approach, with private enterprises anticipated to share equal responsibilities from design to production. This strategy is designed to bring efficiency, specialised expertise, and global best practices to what is perhaps India’s most ambitious aerospace program. TATA and Adani have contemporary industrial ecosystems that might help optimize supply chains, and BEL’s electronics knowledge could complement ADA’s avionics research.
The success of the AMCA will serve as a litmus test for India’s larger objective of defense self-reliance under Atmanirbhar Bharat. If private enterprises show to be good partners, they might permanently alter the country’s defense industrial landscape by diminishing HAL’s near-monopoly, opening up options for high-technology exports, and establishing a robust ecosystem capable of competing with global fifth-generation fighter projects.
Delays in execution or coordination issues among ADA, HAL, and private actors, on the other hand, may push timeframes even further, at a time when India faces rapidly progressing air dominance challenges from China’s J-20 and Pakistan’s planned stealth purchases.
