In a major move to advance India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the “Execution Model” for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project. The initiative is aimed at developing a fifth-generation, stealth-enabled, medium-weight deep penetration fighter jet for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
According to the Defence Ministry, Singh has sanctioned the “Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model.” The ministry said, “In a significant push towards enhancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities and fostering a robust domestic aerospace industrial ecosystem, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Execution Model.”
The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which has played a central role in India’s aviation advancements, will be responsible for leading the AMCA programme in collaboration with industry partners.
The execution model has been designed to allow both private and public sector entities to participate on a competitive basis. The ministry clarified, “They can bid either independently or as joint venture or as consortia. The entity/bidder should be an Indian company compliant with the laws and regulations of the country.”
Highlighting the strategic importance of the initiative, the ministry added, “This is an important step towards harnessing the indigenous expertise, capability and capacity to develop the AMCA prototype, which will be a major milestone towards Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the aerospace sector.”
The Cabinet Committee on Security, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had granted in-principle approval for the AMCA programme last year. The estimated cost for the initial development phase of the project stands at approximately ₹15,000 crore.
The Indian Air Force has been actively backing the AMCA programme, recognizing it as vital to meeting its future operational needs. Confidence in the project has grown significantly following the successful development and deployment of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
