Who Will Build India’s First Stealth Fighter? 3 Big Players In Race For Rs 15,000-Crore Project

Last Updated:October 01, 2025, 14:21 IST

With the deadline expiring on September 30, HAL, L&T in partnership with BEL, and BEML in alliance with private firms, have all submitted their bids

The AMCA programme represents a generational opportunity for India’s aerospace ecosystem. (PTI Image for representation)

India has formally entered the global race to develop its own fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, a technological feat achieved so far only by the United States, Russia, and China. The country’s most ambitious aerospace programme, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project, has now reached a crucial stage, with leading companies vying for a stake in the Rs 15,000-crore design and development contract.

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), a division of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), had floated an Expression of Interest (EoI) to industry players. With the deadline expiring on September 30, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T) in partnership with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), and BEML in alliance with private firms, have all submitted their bids.

This competition is not only about a contract worth Rs 15,000 crore, but about taking the lead in shaping India’s first indigenous stealth fighter jet, which the Indian Air Force (IAF) is expected to induct by 2034-35.

The Players In AMCA Race

1. HAL: The country’s largest aerospace manufacturer and long-standing supplier of fighter aircraft to the IAF.
2. L&T-BEL: A private-public consortium bringing together L&T’s engineering expertise with BEL’s electronics specialisation.
3. BEML with private partners: Attempting to carve space in high-end defence aviation.

The bids will now be scrutinised by a high-level committee headed by A Sivathanu Pillai, the former chief of BrahMos Aerospace. The panel’s recommendations will be submitted to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which has kept the AMCA project under direct watch ever since the Cabinet Committee on Security cleared it last year.

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane is personally reviewing progress with DRDO and ADA to ensure timelines are not missed.

AMCA: India’s Biggest Aerospace Leap

The project is not limited to design and development. The selected company will also be positioned for large-scale production once the aircraft is ready for induction.

• Timeline: The first squadron is targeted for IAF induction by 2034-35.
• Scale: At least 125 aircraft are planned, equivalent to seven squadrons.
• Value: The production phase is expected to exceed Rs 2 lakh crore.

If successful, the AMCA will place India in an exclusive club alongside the US (F-35), Russia (Su-57), and China (J-20), the only nations with operational fifth-generation fighters.

What Will Make AMCA Special?

The AMCA is being designed as a multi-role stealth aircraft capable of undertaking air superiority, strike, and deep penetration missions. It will feature:

• Stealth shaping and radar-absorbing materials
• Advanced avionics and electronic warfare systems
• Supercruise capability (sustained supersonic flight without afterburners)
• Versatile weapon carriage options

These features are intended to give the IAF decisive superiority in future conflict scenarios.

Beyond the military edge, the AMCA programme represents a generational opportunity for India’s aerospace ecosystem. It is expected to create a surge in orders across the public and private sectors, attract new technology collaborations, and strengthen indigenous capabilities in high-end defence manufacturing.

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