India's Fighter Jet Future: The Launch of the AMCA Development Initiative

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), functioning under the Ministry of Defence, has issued a call to Indian firms for the development of the indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet, known as the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). This move comes following an Expression of Interest (EOI) released on Wednesday.

The goal of the EOI is to identify Indian companies owned and controlled by resident citizens, possessing technical capabilities essential for the AMCA project's development. Eligible participants can be a single company, a joint venture, or a consortium that complies with Indian laws. Preferred candidates will be those with experience in aerospace and defense, capable of undertaking design, prototyping, manufacturing, testing, and support processes. The entire development contract will span no more than eight years from its start date.

This initiative, approved by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, aims to propel India's indigenous defense prowess and fortify the domestic aerospace industry. The framework allows equal participation opportunities for both private and public sectors, pushing for a collaborative execution model. This step is pivotal in advancing Aatmanirbharta within the aerospace domain, marking a significant milestone with the AMCA prototype's development.

(With inputs from agencies.)