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Business Standard
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
HAL, private firms to compete for Amca prototype contract: Defence ministry
In a move that could end state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL's) monopoly in building fighter jets, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday said the country's private and public defence companies would get equal opportunity and compete to develop the prototype of the indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, dubbed the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (Amca). This follows the execution model approved for the Amca programme by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday. The programme will be implemented by design agency Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) through industry partnership. Describing the approval of the execution model as a significant push towards enhancing the country's indigenous defence capabilities and fostering a robust aerospace industrial ecosystem, the MoD said the approach would provide 'equal opportunities to the private and public sectors on a competitive basis'. Private and public defence players can bid to participate in the Amca development programme independently, as a joint venture (JV), or as consortia. The bidders should be Indian companies compliant with the laws and regulations of the country, the ministry added. 'This is an important step towards harnessing indigenous expertise, capability, and capacity to develop the Amca prototype, which will be a major milestone towards aatmanirbharta in the aerospace sector,' said the MoD. The ADA will shortly issue an expression of interest for the development phase of the fifth-generation, medium-weight fighter aircraft, which has been designed to perform both air-to-air and air-to-surface combat, it added. The first flight of the Amca prototype is expected by end-2028, a defence source told Business Standard. This execution model marks a shift from longstanding convention, under which HAL was the default domestic production agency for combat aircraft, making it the only Indian entity to manufacture such platforms in the country so far, according to a defence industry insider who did not wish to be named. 'Now, it will have to bid alongside private firms to secure the contract. This will foster competition and offer private players a unique opportunity,' the person said, adding private defence majors like Kalyani Group, Larsen & Toubro, the Tata group, and Adani Group would be interested in securing the contract to build the prototype. 'Even if the winning entity is a JV or consortium involving HAL and one or more private players, the latter will play a far larger role in building combat aircraft than they have before,' explained the source quoted earlier. So far, private players have only built components and parts for programmes like the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas in a tieup with HAL. In March, contracts for 156 Prachand light combat helicopters were awarded to HAL, in the largest order ever secured by the Bengaluru-based public-sector aerospace and defence firm until then. The Rs 62,700 crore (excluding taxes) deal alone accounted for about 37 per cent of the Rs 1.69 trillion worth of contracts awarded by the MoD to the domestic industry in 2024-25. 'If the private sector secures the contract to build the Amca prototype, it could open the door to contracts matching the scale of those so far awarded only to public-sector entities like HAL,' said another industry source who did not wish to be named. In February, the HAL leadership indicated that the company's order book was expected to reach Rs 2.5 trillion in 2025-26. The timely induction of the twin-engine Amca has become crucial, with China expanding its arsenal of operational fifth-generation stealth fighters and making visible progress in developing even stealthier sixth-generation jets — an area in which it is now challenging the hitherto global leader in such technologies, the United States (US). Meanwhile, Pakistan is reportedly expected to acquire about 40 Chinese stealth fighters, with deliveries possibly starting as early as 2026. In March last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the project to design and develop the Amca. The jet, intended to evade enemy radar and feature advanced sensors and electronics for secure, real-time information sharing with other aircraft and systems, has been under development in a project worth around Rs 15,000 crore.
South China Morning Post
23-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Singapore Airlines turbulence 1 year on, China pushes Pakistan dam: SCMP's 7 highlights
We have selected seven stories from this week's news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing China has said it was accelerating work on a 'flagship' dam in Pakistan in the wake of India's recent threats to cut off water supplies. The HAL Prachand is an Indian multi-role light attack helicopter designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under Project Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). Photo: Handout India's new Prachand combat helicopter would be 'a walkover' for China's Z-10 attack counterpart, a Chinese military magazine has claimed, dismissing the aircraft New Delhi might use in high-altitude operations against its neighbours.
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
India's Prachand combat helicopter ‘unable to compete' with China's Z-10: report
India's new Prachand combat helicopter would be 'a walkover' for China's Z-10 attack counterpart, a Chinese military magazine has claimed, dismissing the aircraft New Delhi might use in high-altitude operations against its neighbours. In March, the Indian Ministry of Defence approved an order for 156 of the helicopters in a contract worth more than US$7.3 billion, with an eye to operations at 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) and above. Those altitudes would cover areas along the unresolved Himalayan border with China and the Kashmir region with Pakistan. In the latest skirmish in Kashmir earlier this month, a number of India's French-made Rafale fighters were reportedly shot down by Pakistan's Chinese-made J-10C jets. 02:29 Chinese nationalism surges across social media as viral video mocks downed Indian jets Chinese nationalism surges across social media as viral video mocks downed Indian jets The LCH Prachand, meanwhile, is India's first attack helicopter domestically designed and manufactured by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). It is designed for air-to-ground attack roles, including anti-tank, anti-infantry and close air support. Its first flight was in 2010 and the first batch – 10 for the Indian Air Force and five for the army – was introduced in 2022. The new order is expected to be delivered between 2028 and 2033.
South China Morning Post
19-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
‘Unable to compete': Chinese dismiss India's Prachand combat helicopter against local Z-10
India's new Prachand combat helicopter would be 'a walkover' for China's Z-10 attack helicopter, a Chinese military magazine has claimed of the aircraft New Delhi may turn to for high-altitude operations against its neighbours. The Indian defence ministry in March approved an order for 156 of the helicopters in a contract worth more than US$7.3 billion with an eye to operations at 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) and above, including in the unresolved Himalayan border with China and the Kashmir region dispute with Pakistan. In the latest skirmish in Kashmir last week , India's French-made Rafale fighters were reportedly shot down by Pakistan's Chinese-made J-10C jets. 02:29 Chinese nationalism surges across social media as viral video mocks downed Indian jets Chinese nationalism surges across social media as viral video mocks downed Indian jets The LCH Prachand, meanwhile, is India's first attack helicopter domestically designed and manufactured by the state-owned manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). It is designed for air-to-ground attack roles, including anti-tank, anti-infantry and close air support. Its first flight was in 2010 and the first batch – 10 for the Indian air force and five for the army – was introduced in 2022. The new order is expected to be delivered between 2028 and 2033. The two-seater lightweight attack helicopter is powered by two turboshaft engines co-developed with the French aerospace company Safran. It features a glass cockpit and low-observable design from lightweight composite materials to endure the monsoon season and achieve a higher service ceiling. Its modern avionics include digital, infrared and laser sensors suite, night vision and an automatic flight control system. The Prachand is equipped with a French M621 20mm cannon and four hardpoints for current and future missiles, including anti-tank, air-to-air and anti-radiation, as well as unguided rockets and bombs, integrated into a helmet-mounted sight control system. However, the Chinese media has questioned how much the helicopter could shift the power balance in high-altitude theatres, claiming that China's Z-10 – already mass deployed in Tibet and Xinjiang facing India – has 'overwhelming advantages' in its protection armour, manoeuvrability and weaponry capacity, in addition to recent improvements, such as a new millimetre-wave radar.
Business Recorder
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
India's HAL posts quarterly profit drop on aircraft supply delays
India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) reported a nearly 8% drop in its fourth-quarter profit on Wednesday, weighed by a delay in the supply of its Tejas light combat aircraft. The fighter jet maker's consolidated profit fell to 39.77 billion rupees ($465.9 mln) in the quarter ended March 31, from 43.09 billion rupees a year earlier. HAL's revenue was expected to take a hit due to delays in the supply of Tejas Mk 1A light combat aircraft, analysts had said, even as ordering activity in the defence sector remained steady throughout the quarter. State-owned HAL's quarterly revenue fell 7.2% to 137 billion rupees for the March quarter, coming just under Elara Securities' estimates of an 8% fall. Defence stocks, including HAL, have been under the spotlight since April-end, as India and its neighbour Pakistan engaged in a cross-border conflict following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. HAL has risen 6% since then. Its shares were up 2.6% after the results. During the quarter, the company bagged orders worth 627 billion rupees for the supply of 156 light combat helicopters called 'Prachand'. Peer Bharat Electronics will report its quarterly results next week.
