Overview
- Larsen & Toubro and Bharat Electronics announced a strategic tie-up to pursue the Indian Air Force’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme and will submit their EoI response in the coming weeks.
- The bid combines L&T’s defence and aerospace platform expertise with BEL’s avionics and defence electronics capabilities, drawing on their joint work on the LCA programme.
- ADA will evaluate EoI responses, issue RFQs, and negotiate a contract with one entity to build five prototypes plus a structural test specimen under a development effort capped at about eight years.
- Government planning points to a first AMCA prototype flight targeted for 2029 and development completion around 2034, backed by earlier approval of roughly ₹15,000 crore for design and prototyping.
- Initial market reaction was muted, with L&T shares edging up about 0.2% and BEL slipping about 0.7% in intraday trade.