In a major boost to India’s indigenous defence manufacturing push, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) have announced a strategic partnership to support the development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), the country’s first fifth-generation fighter programme.
The consortium will soon respond to the Expression of Interest (EoI) floated by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which is spearheading the AMCA project for the Indian Air Force.
The collaboration brings together L&T’s proven expertise in defence and aerospace platforms with BEL’s leadership in advanced defence electronics and mission systems. Officials said the tie-up is expected to significantly enhance India’s capability to design, integrate, and deliver a cutting-edge stealth fighter.
“The collaboration with BEL marks a significant leap in our commitment to modernising India’s defence capabilities. Our combined efforts will play a crucial role in bolstering national security and advancing self-reliance in defence technologies,” said L&T CMD S.N. Subrahmanyan.
BEL CMD Manoj Jain highlighted the project’s long-term strategic value, saying: “The AMCA represents India’s growing capabilities in defence technology. With L&T’s engineering strengths and BEL’s proven track record in electronics, we are confident of delivering a world-class solution that will serve the Air Force for decades.”
Both companies have worked together earlier on the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas programme — where L&T supplied aero-structure modules and BEL developed avionics and electronic systems. Building on that legacy, the new partnership is expected to play a critical role in technology integration, system development, and timely execution of the AMCA, one of India’s most ambitious defence programmes yet.
