The race to make India’s fifth generation stealth fighter is on and how! As many as 7 leading defence players have submitted bids to collaborate with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and Adani Defence are among the seven major contenders for the flagship fifth-generation stealth fighter project, worth Rs 2 lakh crore. As part of the project, around 125 fighter jets will be manufactured by the defence players.
The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which is leading the effort, had set September 30, 2025, as the deadline for proposals. The Indian Air Force is eyeing induction of AMCA jets within the next six years.
AMCA project: Which other defence players are in the fray?
Besides HAL, TASL and Adani Defence, the bidder list includes Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Kalyani Strategic Systems and two additional private-sector firms. This marks one of the most extensive contests for participation in a frontline aerospace platform in India.
A high-level committee led by former DRDO missile scientist A Sivathanu Pillai, a key architect of the BrahMos programme, will evaluate the bids. To decide on the winner, the panel will examine both technical and commercial proposals, assessing whether applicants not only possess sophisticated manufacturing capabilities but can also manage the scale, complexity and timelines of a fifth-generation fighter programme.
How big is the AMCA programme financially?
The AMCA project is India’s most ambitious military R&D initiative to date. Around Rs 15,000 crore has been allocated for design, engineering and prototype development alone. With the government planning an initial order of 120 aircraft after flight validation, total production is expected to run into several hundred units over the next two decades.
The financial value of the programme runs into lakhs of crores, making it one of the largest defence contracts in the country’s history.
What are the timelines for prototype and production?
According to the Expression of Interest floated by ADA earlier this year, the selected development partner must deliver a fully capable prototype within eight years. This places the first flight in the early 2030s. Serial production is projected to commence by 2035, once testing, validation and user trials are completed.
What’s so special about the 5th gen fighter jet?
Expected to be a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft, India’s first fifth-generation fighter will feature advanced stealth coatings and internal weapons bays similar to those seen on the US F-22 and F-35, and Russia’s Su-57. The jet is planned to operate at altitudes of up to 55,000 feet.
It is expected to carry around 1,500 kg of weapons in its internal bays, with another 5,500 kg on external hardpoints if required. In addition, it is likely to house approximately 6,500 kg of internal fuel. Once inducted, the AMCA will position India among a select group of nations that field operational fifth-generation fighters.
As of May 2025, only four countries have such aircraft, which include the United States (F-22 and F-35), China (J-20), and Russia (Su-57).