Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has made a significant pitch to the central government, proposing the relocation of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) production facilities from Karnataka to Andhra Pradesh, according to a report by Economic Times web portal.

Naidu’s proposal is part of an ambitious plan to establish a major defence industrial corridor in the state, which would be India’s third such corridor after those in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The corridor is envisioned to span 23,000 acres from the north to the south of Andhra Pradesh, featuring five specialised hubs.

Naidu has specifically offered 10,000 acres at the Lepakshi-Madakasira hub, located about an hour from Bangalore airport, for the AMCA production facility. He argues that HAL’s current ecosystem in Bangalore is saturated and that Andhra Pradesh can provide both the land and policy-driven incentives necessary for HAL’s expansion.

This move is aimed at accommodating HAL’s anticipated order book of ₹2.5 trillion by 2026-27 and supporting the ramp-up of production for both the LCA and Light Combat Helicopters.

In addition to the AMCA facility, Naidu’s proposal includes:

Establishing an Indian Air Force (IAF) station at Donakonda, with 6,000 acres identified for an operational air base, logistics centre, training facility, and R&D hub.

Creating a Visakhapatnam-Anakapalli hub (3,000 acres) for a naval equipment and weapons testing facility, including a marine and underwater SEZ to support the Eastern Naval Command.

Developing a Kurnool-Orvakal hub (4,000 acres) for military drone, robotics, and advanced defence component manufacturing.

Setting up a defence innovation R&D hub at Tirupati.

Naidu has discussed these proposals with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s readiness to facilitate HAL’s expansion and accelerate indigenous defence manufacturing.

The state’s strategic location, robust logistics infrastructure, and availability of large contiguous land parcels are being positioned as key advantages. The proposed defence corridor is expected to attract private investment, enhance indigenous production, reduce reliance on imports, and boost exports of defence and aerospace products.

The AMCA, India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter, is currently under development by HAL in collaboration with private firms. The central government is still evaluating the final production and partnership model for the AMCA, with discussions ongoing about increasing private sector involvement and potentially shifting some responsibilities away from HAL to accelerate timelines and avoid past delays.

Naidu’s comprehensive proposal underscores Andhra Pradesh’s aspirations to become a leading hub for defence manufacturing, leveraging its geographic and policy advantages to attract major national defence projects and investments.

Based On A TOI Report