Shares of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. fell as much as 8.3% during early trade on Wednesday while Larsen & Toubro Ltd. and Bharat Forge Ltd. gained after reports said the defence ministry shortlisted private players for an advanced fighter jet program.
HAL lost out to Tata Advanced Systems Ltd., L&T, and Bharat Forge to develop and manufacture India’s next-generation fighter aircraft under the prestigious Advanced Multirole Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme. The final selection is expected within the next three months, according to a report in The Economic Times.
The defence ministry has evaluated technical bids from seven Indian firms and has shortlisted TASL, L&T, and Bharat Forge. HAL, which manufactures most of India’s military aircraft, has not made the cut.
The final selection is expected to take place after the shortlisted companies submit detailed commercial proposals for manufacturing prototypes of the next generation jets, ET reported.
The report stated the bidders had to prove their mettle in terms of technical capability to absorb the AMCA design and also demonstrate substantial experience in development, engineering, manufacturing, equipping and testing, among other things.
HAL Responds
Responding to media reports on the company losing out on the bid, HAL, in a regulatory filing said…
“Since the official communication is yet to be received from DRDO, the Company can not comment on the said news referred in the subject.”
What Selected Company Will Get
The selected company will work alongside the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to build five AMCA prototypes. The government has earmarked Rs 15,000 crore for this initial stage. Once the aircraft is proven, the Indian Air Force is expected to place a major order which would initially be 120 fighter jets, with deliveries targeted around 2035.
The AMCA programme is considered India’s largest-ever military research and development initiative. Designed as a fifth-generation fighter, the aircraft is expected to eventually become the backbone of India’s air combat fleet from the mid‑2030s.
Features of the Next-Gen Fighter
The AMCA jets will incorporate advanced technologies, including:
- Stealth design
- AI-assisted operations
- Long-range targeting systems
- Ability to work in coordination with unmanned aircraft
Touted to be India’s biggest ever military research and development programme, the consignment for the selected company is expected to go up significantly in the coming years as more advanced variants are developed.
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