L&T, BEL Join Race to Build India’s Stealth Fighter Jet

India’s push for indigenous defense manufacturing took a major leap with the L&T-Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) consortium formally entering the race to develop the country’s first 5th-generation stealth fighter jet — the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). This move challenges the longstanding monopoly of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in combat aircraft production and marks a paradigm shift in how India approaches high-end defense platforms. The ₹15,000 crore AMCA programme, developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under DRDO, aims to produce five prototypes of a next-gen stealth jet within the next five years.

What is AMCA?

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is envisioned as India’s fifth-generation fighter jet, featuring,

• Stealth capabilities
• Supercruise engines
• Internal weapons bay
• Sensor fusion
• Advanced avionics
• Designed to complement the existing Rafale and Su-30MKI fleets, AMCA will play a crucial role in future Indian Air Force operations.

The project was formally approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in March 2024, with an initial outlay of ₹15,000 crore.

L&T-BEL Partnership: A Game Changer

In a first-of-its-kind development, a private-public consortium led by Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and BEL has stepped up to bid for AMCA’s Full-Scale Engineering Development (FSED) phase.

Key Highlights

• The partnership is 50:50, indicating equal strategic and operational roles.
• L&T brings its engineering and manufacturing excellence, especially in defense and shipbuilding.
• BEL contributes its electronics and avionics expertise, critical for stealth and warfare systems.

Competitive Bidding and Private Sector Interest

The Expression of Interest (EoI) for AMCA was first released on June 18, 2025, but received a lukewarm response. The deadline was extended to September 30, triggering fresh interest.

Now, apart from the L&T-BEL consortium, at least three more private sector bids are expected,

• Adani Defence & Aerospace is reportedly exploring tie-ups to join the programme.
• HAL, although traditionally the primary partner for DRDO, is also forming its own consortium with private firms.
• Over 28 private companies have shown interest in participating in various roles.
• This intense competition marks the first real shift from HAL’s dominance in aerospace manufacturing.

What to Remember

• AMCA is India’s first 5th-generation stealth fighter project.
• L&T-BEL is the first private-led consortium to bid.
• The project is worth ₹15,000 crore, with a five-year timeline for prototype development.
• HAL, Adani, and other players are also preparing to bid.