India launches RFP for indigenous fifth‑generation AMCA fighter jet

The Ministry of Defence issued a Request for Proposal for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), India’s first indigenously designed twin‑engine fifth‑generation fighter. Three private sector consortia – Tata Advanced Systems, Larsen & Toubro‑Bharat Electronics and a Bharat Forge‑BEML partnership – were shortlisted to develop five low‑observable prototypes. Bidding opens on 11 June, with final submissions due by the end of the following month and bids opened on 28 July. The contract requires the first prototype to fly within 30 months of signing. The 25‑tonne aircraft will feature advanced stealth, an internal weapons bay, a 6.5‑tonne internal fuel tank and a projected 10‑hour endurance. The Mk 1 version will use GE‑414 engines, while a later Mk 2 will be powered by an indigenously developed engine. The project, cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 2024 and estimated at Rs 15,000 crore, marks a shift from the state‑run HAL to private participation, although HAL may handle licence production from around 2035.