Stealth, Speed, And Sovereignty: India Names Its Contenders For The AMCA Programme

Nikunj Parikh - Mumbai Bureau May 27, 2026 1,600 Views

India has officially issued the Request for Proposal for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme, inviting three private-sector-led consortia to compete for the Rs 15,000 crore prototype contract. This marks a defining moment in India's push for indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter development, signalling a structural shift away from public-sector-only defence manufacturing.

India's Ministry of Defence on Wednesday issued the Request for Proposal for its Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme to three shortlisted bidders, as confirmed by defence officials cited by ANI. The move formally opens the race to build India's first homegrown fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, with prototypes expected to take flight by 2032 and deliveries slated to begin by 2035. This milestone also marks the first time private sector-led consortia will lead such a cutting-edge combat aviation programme in the country.

The Three Contenders

The shortlisted bidders include Tata Advanced Systems Limited as a standalone applicant, the Larsen and Toubro-Bharat Electronics Limited-Dynamatic Technologies consortium, and the Bharat Forge-BEML-Data Patterns consortium. Each was selected based on technical competency after emerging from an initial pool of seven consortia that responded to tenders floated by the Aeronautical Development Agency in July 2025.

What The Aircraft Will Look Like

The AMCA is envisioned as a single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fighter featuring advanced stealth coatings, internal weapons bays, artificial intelligence integration, and the ability to operate alongside unmanned aerial platforms. The Indian Air Force is expected to order approximately 120 jets in the first phase alone.

Budget And Timeline

The Defence Ministry has earmarked an indicative budget of Rs 15,000 crore for the prototype development phase, with the selected firm to build five prototypes and one structural test specimen. The execution model, approved by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, allows participation independently, through joint ventures, or as consortia — ensuring competitive and inclusive bidding.