The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Ministry of Defence launched the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, which aims to create India’s first indigenous fifth-generation stealth multi-role fighter jet.
This program aims to deliver a cutting-edge aircraft capable of air domination, ground strikes, electronic warfare, and suppression of enemy air defenses, with serial production beginning in 2035.
The AMCA development has progressed through the feasibility and design phases, with the detailed design phase expected to be completed by 2023. The Cabinet Committee on Security authorized a ₹15,000 crore ($1.8 billion) funding package for prototype development in March 2024.
The plan calls for the development of five prototypes, the first of which is projected to be ready in late 2026 or early 2027, and the maiden flight in 2028. Prototypes will be employed in developmental and weapon trials, with certification scheduled for 2032 and operational induction for 2034.
One significant recent development is the adoption of a “Execution Model” in which ADA will work closely with industry partners during the program’s development and production phases.
This is the first time in India that a strategic fighter aircraft project will actively incorporate private sector enterprises in addition to public sector institutions, with the goal of creating a competitive aerospace and defense industry ecosystem that will allow for self-reliance.
By September 2025, seven Indian enterprises and consortia had made bids in response to ADA’s Expression of Interest (EoI) for prototype development, flight testing, certification, and serial production readiness within eight years.
These bidders include key defense industry players such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), TATA Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL), Adani Defence and Aerospace, Kalyani Strategic Systems, and a consortium led by BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (BATL) in collaboration with Goodluck India Ltd and Axiscades Technologies.
Each bidder has suggested strategic partnership models that incorporate expertise in airframe manufacture, avionics, propulsion, and systems integration. For example, HAL suggested a joint venture in which it would keep a 50% ownership while bringing in crucial private partners for certain aircraft sections.
L&T has partnered with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to leverage their previous work on the Light Combat Aircraft program, emphasizing the high technical standards and industrial capabilities involved in the bidding process.
A specialised high-level committee, chaired by former DRDO missile scientist A Sivathanu Pillai, is in charge of evaluating these bids based on technical prowess, financial viability, and the ability to meet the demanding timelines and scale requirements of a fifth-generation fighter program.
The final selection of two winning consortia is expected by mid-2026, after which they will get funds and responsibility for co-developing the AMCA prototypes, flight tests, and eventual production.
The AMCA program is seen as a watershed moment in India’s aerospace industry, heralding a change away from a largely state-owned defense production strategy and toward a competitive, consortium-driven approach involving private sector innovation.
This move is likely to boost domestic capacity, reduce import reliance, and place India prominently in the global fifth-generation fighter environment amidst regional security concerns.
The Aeronautical Development Agency and the Ministry of Defence are actively working to identify the winning industrial partners for the AMCA program by mid-2026.
This choice will choose the consortium in charge of developing India’s next-generation stealth fighter, with significant strategic and industrial consequences for the country’s defense sector.
