Newsletter
L&T and Bharat Electronics (BEL) are teaming up to power the Indian Air Force’s advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) programme. This is India’s first fifth-generation fighter jet project.
The deets: L&T brings its muscle in defence platforms and aero-structures, while BEL adds its strength in mission-critical avionics and defence electronics.
Together, they’ll work on a jet designed to rival global stealth fighters.
Why it matters: the AMCA is India’s big leap into fifth-generation stealth technology, a space dominated by the US, Russia, and China. With India’s air fleet stretched thin at 31 squadrons versus the required 42, this homegrown jet is seen as a game-changer for national security.
The two defence giants have already proved their synergy in the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas programme. Now, by scaling up to the AMCA, they’re bolstering India’s ambition to be self-reliant in high-end defence tech.
Big theme: the fifth-generation fighters like the AMCA are built for stealth, speed, and multi-role combat. They can evade radar, strike deep into enemy territory, and also handle air-to-air dogfights.
For India, this means filling the gap left by retiring MiG-21s and reducing reliance on foreign jets like the Rafale or Sukhoi.
