India has shortlisted three industry-led consortia to develop its first indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft under the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program, marking a significant shift in defense procurement strategy. The selection notably excludes state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), making this the first major combat aircraft development program in which India’s premier aerospace manufacturer will not participate.
According to officials and media reports, HAL was sidelined due to its heavily loaded order book, which is estimated to be nearly eight times its annual turnover. This capacity constraint reportedly limited HAL’s ability to commit resources to the AMCA program. The shortlisted contenders include a Larsen & Toubro-led consortium partnered with Bharat Electronics Limited and Dynamatic Technologies, Tata Advanced Systems Limited bidding independently, and a Bharat Forge-led team with BEML and Data Patterns.
The competition initially attracted seven bidders for a contract valued at approximately ₹150 billion ($1.66 billion) to develop five AMCA prototypes. The winning consortium will be selected based on the lowest-cost bid, with a formal announcement expected within the next three months. The selected entity will work alongside the government’s Aeronautical Development Agency to deliver five flying prototypes and one structural test article by 2031.
The AMCA development phase is scheduled to conclude by 2034, with serial production and induction into the Indian Air Force beginning from 2035. The IAF plans to induct around 120 aircraft, starting with 40 Mk-1 variants powered by GE Aerospace F414 engines, followed by Mk-2 versions featuring a higher-thrust engine co-developed by Indian and foreign partners. The stealth-optimized, twin-engine fighter is expected to feature internal weapons bays, advanced sensor fusion, and supercruise capability up to Mach 2, supporting missions ranging from air superiority to deep-strike operations.
