India Invites Private Sector to Boost Fighter Jet Production

India is opening its fifth-generation fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), to private companies for production. Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh emphasizes the need for competition to benefit Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and reduce dependency on foreign defense imports amidst global supply chain challenges.

In a significant move towards bolstering India's defense capabilities, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh announced that the production of the nation's fifth-generation fighter jet, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), will be open to private sector involvement. This historic step is aimed at fostering competition and strengthening the country's aerospace industry.

During an exclusive interview with ANI, Singh stressed the importance of having at least two aircraft manufacturers in India to create healthy competition, benefiting the public sector giant, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). "Our intent is to have multiple players in the market, leading to self-reliance in this critical area," Singh remarked, revealing an eight-year timeline for the AMCA project.

The AMCA Programme Execution Model, recently approved by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, allows both private and public sectors to bid independently or as consortiums. Singh acknowledged HAL's first-mover advantage and confirmed ongoing efforts to open the defense manufacturing ecosystem to private entities, reducing India's historic dependency on Russian defense imports and diversifying its foreign weapon suppliers.

(With inputs from agencies.)