Defence Minister Approves Execution of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft Programme

New Delhi, May 27 (KNN) In a significant push to boost India’s defence self-reliance, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the Execution Model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme, the Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday.

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will spearhead the development of this fifth-generation fighter jet in collaboration with industry partners.

The model allows both public and private sectors to participate on equal footing, either independently, through joint ventures, or as consortia. Eligible bidders must be Indian entities complying with national laws.

This move is aimed at harnessing domestic expertise and strengthening the aerospace industrial ecosystem, aligning with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. ADA will soon release an Expression of Interest (EoI) for the development phase.

A committee headed by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, along with representatives from the Indian Air Force and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is exploring ways to increase private sector involvement.

HAL, with vast experience in aerospace manufacturing, remains a key player, while companies like Tata, L&T, Godrej, and Azad Engineering are also expected to contribute.

A full-scale model of the AMCA was recently showcased at Aero India 2025 in Bengaluru. Designed for the Indian Air Force, the 25-ton aircraft will incorporate cutting-edge technologies including manned-unmanned teaming and AI-powered systems.

These include multi-sensor data fusion, automatic target identification, and advanced navigation aids.

Once operational, AMCA is set to place India among the few nations with indigenous fifth-generation fighter capabilities.

(KNN Bureau)