Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday laid the foundation stone for the Rs 15,803-crore Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) infrastructure project in Andhra Pradesh’s Sri Sathya Sai district, marking a major step in India’s push towards self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
Describing the occasion as a landmark moment, Singh said the project marked “a historic chapter in India’s defence history” and signalled the beginning of a new era for Andhra Pradesh’s industrial and defence ecosystem.
“A new era is starting today in Andhra Pradesh’s history and a historic chapter is being written in India’s defence history,” the Defence Minister said while addressing a public gathering.
The AMCA programme, being developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency under the Defence Research and Development Organisation, aims to build India’s indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft.
According to officials, the project will include an aircraft integration and advanced flight-testing centre — a highly specialised facility currently possessed by only a handful of countries globally.
Spread across nearly 650 acres in Puttaparthi, the AMCA infrastructure project is expected to generate around 7,500 jobs and significantly strengthen India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem.
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Apart from the AMCA facility, Singh and Naidu also laid the foundation stone for several other defence manufacturing initiatives and a dedicated drone city project in Kurnool, where eight drone companies are expected to establish operations.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the projects, Singh said the current global security environment underscored the need for India to strengthen its domestic defence capabilities instead of depending heavily on foreign suppliers.
“If we stand with our own strength during difficult times, we can defend ourselves powerfully,” he said.
Naidu said Andhra Pradesh was positioning itself to become the “defence shield of the country” by attracting next-generation defence and aerospace investments.
He also linked the AMCA initiative to the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, saying the project would demonstrate India’s growing technological capability in indigenous combat aircraft manufacturing.
Referring to Operation Sindoor, Naidu said the operation reflected the success of India’s increasing self-reliance in defence technology.
Following the event, the leaders toured a defence exhibition showcasing missiles, hand grenades, advanced firearms, drone systems, a fighter jet prototype and other indigenous defence products.
