Nine companies in the defence and aerospace sector will soon sign MoUs with the Andhra Pradesh government. The state will emerge as a leading hub for industrial growth .
RAJA PENTAPATI
. AP Bureau Chief
NATIONAL
May 14th, Bharat News
(Five-Star Rated News Service by Google)
AMARAVATI .- (Puttaparthi), Taking a key step towards strengthening India’s indigenous defence and aerospace capabilities, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh along with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will lay the foundation stone of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) Programme Centre at Puttaparthi Tommorow (15th May) in Sri Sathya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh.
The centre, being set up by the Aeronautical Development Agency under the auspices of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will house the core integration, development and flight testing complex for India’s ambitious indigenous fifth-generation fighter aircraft programme. The AMCA programme is designed to enhance India’s self-reliance in next-generation fighter aircraft technologies, including stealth systems, advanced avionics and integrated combat capabilities.
To be built on an area of about 650 acres in Puttaparthi at an estimated project cost of about Rs. 15,803 crore, the complex will serve as a national hub for aircraft assembly, validation, flight testing and certification activities. The project is expected to significantly strengthen India’s strategic aerospace infrastructure by reducing dependence on external testing facilities.
The Government of Andhra Pradesh has provided comprehensive support for the establishment of this facility through land allocation, infrastructure development and fast-track clearances. The project is expected to generate about 7,500 highly skilled direct employment opportunities during its lifetime and also act as a catalyst for the development of a wider aerospace and defence manufacturing ecosystem in the Rayalaseema region.
Sri Sathya Sai District has rapidly emerged as a high-potential destination for advanced manufacturing and aerospace-related investments. Strategically located in close proximity to the Bangalore aerospace ecosystem, including Kempegowda International Airport and major defence companies, the region stands as a natural extension of India’s Southern Aerospace Corridor. The district also hosts growing industrial activity in aerospace, defence, electronics, automobile components, metals and allied sectors.
Andhra Pradesh has already established a strong presence in defence manufacturing through investments by leading companies such as Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited and Kalyani Strategic Systems.
Under the Aerospace and Defence Policy 2025–30, the state has identified six dedicated clusters focused on naval systems, missiles and ammunition, unmanned systems, aerospace and electronics, avionics, defence electronics, precision manufacturing, specialised testing facilities and defence R&D. These are creating targeted opportunities for global OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers and technology companies.
As part of its long-term industrial vision, Andhra Pradesh is actively building next-generation industrial ecosystems in line with India’s strategic priorities in the defence, aerospace and deep technology sectors. The proposed Space City in Sri Sathya Sai and Tirupati districts is being developed as an integrated ecosystem that will support advanced space and aerospace manufacturing, research and innovation.
In parallel, places like Lepakshi, Donakonda, Tirupati, Visakhapatnam and Orvakal are being developed as Aerospace Cities and Special Industrial Clusters to facilitate large-scale integrated manufacturing and high-technology investments. These initiatives reflect Andhra Pradesh’s commitment to supporting national missions in the defence and space sectors while creating globally competitive industrial ecosystems.
Along with AMCA Foundation, the foundation stone of projects of Premier Explosives Limited, Agneyastra Energetics Limited, Drogo Drones Private Limited, Dronelab Technologies Private Limited, HC Robotics Private Limited, SenseImage Technologies Private Limited, Airpace Industries, JDK Fly Drone World Private Limited, and Latrix Aerospace Private Limited will also be laid.
In addition, nine other companies are set to sign MoUs with the Government of Andhra Pradesh in the defence and aerospace sector. With this, the state’s emergence as a leading hub for strategic manufacturing and innovation-driven industrial growth will be further strengthened.
. Swarna Andhra Pradesh
