L&T, BEL To Bid For 5th-Gen Fighter Jet Project

“The consortium will participate in the Expression of Interest issued by the Government of India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) by submitting a response in the coming weeks,” BEL said on Wednesday. The last date to submit bids is September 30.

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is India’s flagship fifth-generation fighter jet programme, being developed by ADA through industry partnerships. State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is also seen as a strong contender and is likely to bid in collaboration with a private partner.

The AMCA execution model provides equal opportunities to both private and public sector players on a competitive basis. BEL said its partnership with L&T will combine L&T’s expertise in strategic defence and aerospace platforms with BEL’s strengths in defence electronics and systems, enabling them to jointly contribute to the fifth-generation fighter aircraft programme.

“The collaboration marks a significant milestone in advancing India’s defence capabilities in line with the government’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.’ By combining the strengths of two leading defence technology providers, the partnership aims to deliver a cutting-edge, high-quality solution,” BEL said.

L&T and BEL have earlier played a pivotal role in India’s indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme by supplying aero-structure modules and developing mission-critical avionics and electronic systems. Building on this legacy, the consortium plans to bring proven expertise and ensure timely delivery of world-class platforms for the Indian Air Force.

S.N. Subrahmanyan, chairman and managing director of L&T, said, “The collaboration with BEL marks a significant leap in our commitment to modernising India’s defence capabilities. We are honoured to work with BEL to deliver next-generation technologies for the Indian Air Force. Both organisations are leaders in our domains, and our combined efforts will bolster national security and advance self-reliance in defence technologies.”

BEL, a Navratna PSU under the defence ministry, operates in the defence and strategic electronics sector. In FY 2024-25, it recorded annual sales of $2.74 billion (₹23,024 crore).