India's 5th-gen stealth fighter jets to be produced in Andhra
What's the story
India's fifth-generation stealth fighter jets will now be manufactured in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh. The state cabinet has approved the allotment of 600 acres to the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for this project. An estimated 140 Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) are expected to be produced at this facility, which is likely to attract investments worth ₹1 lakh crore.
Project approval
AMCA production unit to come up in Puttaparthi
The decision to set up an AMCA production unit in Andhra Pradesh comes 11 months and 9 days after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's proposal to Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. The systems design, testing, and module assembly of the AMCA will be carried out at Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), an autonomous body under DRDO. The modules will then be transported to Puttaparthi for final assembly and on-ground testing.
Infrastructure development
Land allotted free of cost for various facilities
The state government has allotted land free of cost to set up a flight testing complex, a residential township for scientists, and a production facility. This facility will be constructed by ADA's private production partner. Three companies: Tata Advanced Systems, L&T, and Bharat Forge, have been shortlisted to develop and manufacture the AMCA.
Location advantage
Why Puttaparthi was chosen for AMCA unit?
Andhra Pradesh won the AMCA unit due to its strategic location, which offers easy airstrip access and streamlined airspace coordination. A senior central government official told ET that "AMCA facility needs a dedicated flight testing range. An assembly line is planned close to the flight path." The official added that Puttaparthi was chosen because it doesn't have a busy airport and is close to ADA headquarters in Bengaluru.
Economic impact
Proposed AMCA unit sparks political row
The AMCA project is expected to open up huge investment opportunities in Andhra Pradesh by creating a strong ecosystem of support industry. Naidu's proposal last year had sparked a political row as Congress-ruled Karnataka saw it as an attempt to "wean away" Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) aerospace manufacturing from Bengaluru. Now, with the manufacturing unit secured, state-run HAL has been excluded from producing next-generation fighter jets.