India Issues RFP for AMCA Stealth Fighter: Private Sector Enters Fifth-Generation Jet Development Era

For the first time in a major fighter aircraft programme, the Ministry of Defence has excluded Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and instead invited three private contenders to compete for the project. The shortlisted participants include Tata Advanced Systems, a consortium comprising Larsen & Toubro, Bharat Electronics Limited and Dynamatic Technologies, and a third consortium led by Bharat Forge in partnership with BEML Limited and Data Patterns.

The AMCA programme, valued at approximately ₹15,000 crore, will be fully funded by the Government of India for the development of prototypes. The selected private partner will be responsible for manufacturing five flying prototypes and one structural test aircraft in collaboration with the Aeronautical Development Agency under the Defence Research and Development Organisation. This work will be executed at a newly planned 650-acre greenfield facility in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh.

According to the official framework, the Aeronautical Development Agency and Defence Research and Development Organisation initiated an Expression of Interest for the stealth fighter programme in mid-2025. Seven industry participants submitted bids, which were subsequently evaluated on technical parameters in February, leading to the selection of the three private consortiums now invited for the final bidding stage.

The shortlisted bidders have been granted a period of two to three months to submit detailed proposals. The lowest bidder selection process, commonly referred to as L1 evaluation, along with the final contract award, is expected to be completed between January and March 2027. The first prototype flight of the AMCA is projected to take place between 2028 and 2032, with induction into operational service anticipated after 2035, followed by serial production at the designated Andhra Pradesh facility.

The AMCA programme is expected to position India among an exclusive group of nations possessing fifth-generation fighter aircraft capability. As of May 2025, this capability is held only by the United States with the F-22 and F-35 platforms, China with the J-20, and Russia with the Su-57.

The aircraft is likely to be a twin-engine, single-seat stealth fighter featuring advanced radar-absorbing materials and internal weapons bays, comparable to existing fifth-generation platforms such as the F-22, F-35, and Su-57. It is expected to operate at an altitude ceiling of approximately 55,000 feet. The design configuration is projected to support an internal weapons payload capacity of 1,500 kilograms, supplemented by an additional external payload capacity of 5,500 kilograms. The aircraft will also carry an estimated 6,500 kilograms of fuel, enabling extended operational range and endurance.

This development represents a structural transformation in India’s defence production ecosystem, marking the first large-scale integration of private industry into frontline fighter jet manufacturing. It also signals a strategic push toward self-reliance in advanced aerospace technologies, reducing dependency on traditional production models and accelerating indigenous capability development in stealth combat aviation.