India opens ₹15,000 crore race to build AMCA stealth fighter

THe Defence Ministry on midweek issued call for for Proposals (RFPs) to leash short-listed bidders for the evolution and production of quintet prototypes of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) at an estimated cost of ₹15,000 crore, paving the way for a second fighter jet production facility in India besides that of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.The three shortlisted bidders are: Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL); Larsen and Toubro plus Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and Bharat Forge plus Bharat Earth Movers Limited. Powered by an American GE-414 engine, the AMCA will be produced under the design and expertise of Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of the DRDO. While the first prototype of the AMCA is expected by early 2027, the first flight of the fifth generation multi-role fighter will take place between 2028-2029. Serial production of the fighter should happen in the mid-2030s with new versions of the fighter fitted with 120 KM French Safran engines made in India.This month, the foundation stone was laid for the ₹15,803 crore Integration and Flight Testing Complex at Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh with the Cabinet Committee on Security giving a green signal to development of the five prototypes. Featuring super-cruise, inter weapons bays, and advanced AI, the AMCA will compete with stealth fighter jets such as the US F-35, Chinese J 20 and Russian Su-57 fighters in the near future. The fighter will ultimately replace the Su-30 MKI fighters and will have long range indigenously developed Astra air to air missile, air to surface missiles, laser guided and glide bombs with top of the line radar and sensors to avoid detection by enemy air defence systems.While the Indian Air Force (IAF) has proposed the acquisition of two squadrons of Russian SU-57 through the “Make in India” route, the government is still to take a call on the IAF requirement. As it is, the stealth capabilities of fifth generation fighters have come into question with vintage Iranian air defence damaging an American F35 using a heat seeking missile during the on-going West Asia war.Given the current geopolitics where each country is protecting its own interest, it is important that the Indian private sector shows its worth by producing a fifth gen fighter outside the HAL facilities. Meanwhile, India has begun cost negotiations with France's Dassault for direct the acquisition, and then production, of 114 fighters in India in order to ensure that the force levels of IAF do not go down. The four-day Op Sindoor on May 7-2025 has shown that the days of battle tanks and infantry are over with aircraft used to launch long range missiles and bombs at the enemy at stand-off distances.