India's AMCA program receives bids for ₹15,000 crore prototype contract

Three major private-sector groups have submitted bids for a ₹15,000 crore contract to develop prototypes for India's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a fifth-generation stealth fighter program. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is seeking a Development-cum-Production Partner (DCPP) to engineer five flying prototypes and one structural test specimen.

The competing bidders include Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) as a sole independent bidder, a consortium led by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) featuring Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Dynamatic Technologies, and a consortium led by Bharat Forge in partnership with BEML and Data Patterns. A high-level defence committee is currently conducting document verification and technical evaluations, which are expected to continue through December.

In a related development regarding the AMCA and other next-generation fighter projects, GE Aerospace has reportedly requested approximately $800 million to establish a dedicated manufacturing and assembly line for F414 engines in India. While the cost has sparked debate, analysts suggest the investment is a strategic move to reduce dependence on foreign supply chains. Negotiations are reportedly focused on the unit cost of engines and the extent of technology transfer to Indian industry.