New Delhi – In a move designed to bolster india’s domestic aerospace industry, teh Narendra Modi goverment has approved a new execution model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program. This decision mandates that Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL), the state-run aerospace giant, must now compete with private firms for the contract to develop this next-generation fighter jet.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh spearheaded this initiative as part of a broader strategy to enhance India’s indigenous defense capabilities and foster a competitive domestic aerospace ecosystem. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will oversee the program through collaborative partnerships with industry players.

A Level Playing Field: Competitive Bidding for AMCA

The core principle of this new model is to ensure fair competition between public and private sectors. According to a statement released by the defense ministry,The Execution Model approach provides equal opportunities to both private and public sectors on a competitive basis. They can bid either independently or as joint ventures or as consortia. The statement further clarified that the entity/bidder shoudl be an Indian company compliant with the laws and regulations of the country.

Sources within the defense establishment emphasized that this decision means no single entity will be automatically favored. This means that no one entity will be considered as a natural choice and everyone will have to bid to win the contract, a source stated.

This marks a significant departure from past practices, where HAL would have been the default choice for manufacturing fighter planes, later partnering with private companies for component production.

HAL Faces New Competition

The new framework means HAL, traditionally the sole manufacturer of fighter planes in india, will now face competition from private sector giants such as TATA, Adani, L&T, and other interested parties. These companies will vie for the opportunity to build the AMCA prototype.

HAL retains the option to bid independently or form a consortium with private players. Similarly, private companies can bid alone, create consortia amongst themselves, or partner with HAL.

The defense ministry statement also indicated that ADA will shortly issue an Expression of Interest (EoI) for the AMCA Development Phase.

Projected Timeline and Strategic Goals

The current timeline anticipates the rollout of the first AMCA prototype by 2031, with series production expected to commence by 2035. We have fixed a 10-year timeline, starting today. After the first prototype is developed, we will go in for series production, which should commence by 2035, a source explained.

The primary objective is for ADA to select the most capable partner to accelerate development and production, avoiding reliance on a single entity. this approach addresses past criticisms regarding delays in the Tejas fighter program.

One source noted, For the first time, you have a private player like TATA, which has tied up with Airbus to manufacture military transport aircraft C295 in India. The private companies are supplying components for international fighters. Now, they can bid for the AMCA programme to.

Geopolitical Context and future Considerations

This development occurs amidst reports that China is expediting the delivery of its fifth-generation fighter, the J-35A, to Pakistan. This move could potentially widen the capability gap with the Indian Air Force (IAF). While the IAF possesses a larger number of fighters,Pakistan’s air force has a higher proportion of 4.5-generation aircraft.

Moreover, China has unveiled what are claimed to be two sixth-generation fighter jets-the Chengdu J-36 and Shenyang J-50-in December.

When asked about the possibility of a limited purchase of fifth-generation fighters, such as the U.S. F-35, sources declined to comment. They reiterated that India is currently focused on advancing the AMCA program.