Adani Defence & Aerospace has partnered with Hyderabad-based MTAR Technologies to compete for the prestigious ₹15,000-crore contract to design and develop the prototype of India’s fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), reported UNI news agency.

The initiative is part of the Aeronautical Development Agency’s (ADA) flagship program to produce India’s first indigenous stealth fighter jet, positioning the consortium as a strong private-sector contender in India’s evolving aerospace ecosystem.

According to industry sources, the Adani–MTAR alliance aims to leverage Adani’s defence infrastructure, systems integration capabilities, and financial muscle with MTAR’s precision engineering expertise.

MTAR Technologies has a proven track record in supplying critical propulsion, electro-pneumatic, and structural assemblies for advanced defence and space missions, giving the partnership a strong technical foundation to meet the AMCA program’s demanding standards.

MTAR is a long-standing supplier for high-profile national projects of ISRO, DRDO, and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India. It played a key role in ISRO’s Chandrayaan-2 and Mangalyaan missions, and has delivered complex subsystems for DRDO’s Agni series of ballistic missiles.

Its manufacturing facilities are capable of producing high-precision aerospace components, an essential requirement for stealth-grade aircraft structures and propulsion systems envisioned for the AMCA.

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), responsible for the AMCA’s design and development, floated an Expression of Interest (EoI) in June 2025 to identify capable Indian industry partners for prototype construction and testing.

The submission deadline, set for September 30, saw responses from at least seven major defence players or consortiums, underscoring intense industry competition for participation in India’s most advanced indigenous military aviation program.

In addition to the Adani–MTAR consortium, key applicants to the EoI include Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Bharat Forge, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Axiscades Technologies, Goodluck India, and BrahMos Aerospace.

Several firms have submitted joint proposals to enhance technical capabilities:

Bharat Forge teamed up with BEML and Data Patterns to pool manufacturing and avionics resources.
L&T partnered with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to combine structural fabrication and electronic warfare integration.
TASL submitted its bid independently, leveraging its prior experience in Aero-Structures and UAV platforms.

Following evaluation of the EoI responses, ADA and DRDO will shortlist companies for the next stage—a Request for Quotation (RFQ) to build five flying prototypes and one structural test specimen. 

Shortlisting criteria will include technical proficiency, financial stability, program management capability, and potential for technology transfer. This selection will define which consortium leads India’s first private-sector participation in a fifth-generation fighter development program.

The AMCA prototype is expected to achieve its first flight between 2028 and 2029, marking a critical milestone in India’s pursuit of self-reliance in stealth combat aircraft technology. The series production phase is tentatively scheduled to begin by 2035, with around 126 aircraft planned for induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF), forming up to seven operational squadrons.

Once operational, the AMCA will serve as a cornerstone for India’s indigenous combat aviation ecosystem, complementing the TEJAS MK-1A and TEJAS MK-2 programs, and significantly reducing dependence on foreign fighter jet imports.

Agencies