Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been excluded from the race to develop and manufacture India’s next-generation fighter aircraft under the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, with three private sector firms now in contention to take forward the project.
Sources confirm that Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Forge have cleared the technical evaluation stage and remain in the fray to develop and build prototypes of India’s indigenous fifth-generation combat aircraft. The final partner is expected to be selected within the next three months after submission of detailed commercial proposals.
The selection process, which involved scrutiny of bids from seven Indian defence manufacturers and consortia, evaluated participants on technical expertise, manufacturing capability, development experience, order book position and financial strength. According to reports, firms with large outstanding order backlogs were at a disadvantage under the bid criteria.
Under the programme plan, the selected entity will collaborate with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to manufacture five flying prototypes of the AMCA aircraft. An indicative allocation of around ₹15,000 crore has been earmarked for the prototype phase, with development and testing expected to extend over several years.
Once the prototypes are completed and successfully tested, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is expected to place initial orders for an estimated 120 AMCA jets, with delivery timelines projected from the mid-2030s onward. The aircraft is intended to become a core component of the IAF’s future combat fleet and is designed to incorporate advanced features such as stealth capabilities, artificial intelligence-enabled systems, long-range strike potential, and the ability to operate alongside unmanned systems.
The AMCA programme marks a major shift in India’s defence aerospace strategy, opening up advanced combat aircraft development to private industry participation alongside traditional public sector players.
