In a major boost to India's indigenous defence manufacturing ambitions, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday laid the foundation stone for the Rs 16,000 crore Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) infrastructure project in the state's Sri Sathya Sai district.
The high-profile ceremony took place in Puttaparthi, where Defense Minister, AP CM Naidu, and State Minister Nara Lokesh jointly launched a suite of related defence, aerospace, and drone manufacturing projects alongside the AMCA initiative.
Official sources stated that the mega infrastructure project is slated to strengthen the nation's aerospace and defence ecosystem while generating approximately 7,500 new jobs in the region, as per Business Standard.
VIDEO | Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and Minister Nara Lokesh laid the foundation stone for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project in Puttaparthi on Friday.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 15, 2026
The prestigious AMCA project, being established at an… pic.twitter.com/iD90LKq35n
The state government stated that these combined ventures mark a major step toward positioning Andhra Pradesh as a premier high-technology manufacturing and strategic defence hub in the country, according to official releases.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the AMCA Aircraft Integration and Flight Testing Centre, to be developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), will serve as the core national hub to facilitate comprehensive aircraft integration, testing, validation, and certification processes.
Following the foundation ceremony, the leaders also visited exhibitions showcasing missiles, advanced weapon systems, fighter jet prototypes, drones, and other defence technologies developed in India.
Singh laid the foundation for multiple defence projects in Andhra Pradesh, including naval systems, ammunition, and drone manufacturing facilities. New plants by Bharat Dynamics, Agneyastra Energetics, and HFCL aim to boost indigenous defence production. Several MoUs were also signed to strengthen industrial and defence investments in the state.
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