Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday laid the foundation stones and presided over the grounding ceremonies for a series of strategic aerospace and defence manufacturing projects in the state, marking a significant push towards India’s defence self-reliance and indigenous military production capabilities.
The high-profile event was held at Puttaparthi in Sri Sathya Sai district and included the launch of projects linked to fifth-generation fighter aircraft development, naval systems manufacturing, ammunition production and drone technology.
Among the key projects announced was the Core Integration and Flight Testing Centre for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme at Puttaparthi. The facility, being developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency under DRDO at an estimated cost of around ₹2,000 crore, is expected to accelerate the development and testing of India’s indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft and other future combat platforms.
Speaking at the event, Singh described the launch of the projects as a “historic moment” for India’s defence sector and said self-reliance in defence manufacturing was essential for national security in an increasingly uncertain global environment.
“These projects will cater to all three Services and strengthen our efforts to make India self-reliant in defence manufacturing. Andhra Pradesh is set to emerge as a major hub of aerospace and defence production,” Singh said.
Highlighting the strategic significance of the AMCA project, the Defence Minister said Puttaparthi would become one of the few places in the world associated with the development of a fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
“The total outlay for the AMCA programme is around ₹15,000 crore. Puttaparthi is set to join the exclusive league of global destinations from which a fifth-generation aircraft will take to the skies,” he said.
Another major project launched during the event was the Naval Systems Manufacturing Facility at T Sirasapalli village in Anakapalli district. The ₹480-crore project, being established by Bharat Dynamics Limited, will manufacture advanced underwater weapons, autonomous underwater vehicles, underwater counter-measure systems and next-generation torpedoes for the Indian Navy.
According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the facility will help reduce dependence on imports for several critical naval components and strengthen India’s maritime security and blue economy capabilities.
Grounding ceremonies were also held for two major private sector defence manufacturing projects in Madakasira, Sri Sathya Sai district.
The Defence Energetics Facility of Agneyastra Energetics Limited, a subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited, is being set up with an investment of ₹1,500 crore and will focus on advanced energetics and weapons systems production.
Meanwhile, HFCL Limited is establishing an Ammunition and Electric Fuse Plant with an investment of around ₹1,200 crore to manufacture advanced fuses and ammunition systems for the armed forces.
The event also witnessed the launch of an ambitious “Drone City” initiative in Kurnool, where a consortium of eight drone companies signed agreements with the Andhra Pradesh government to establish drone manufacturing and innovation facilities.
Calling drone technology a “game changer” in modern warfare and civilian applications, Singh said Andhra Pradesh had the potential to emerge as the country’s leading drone innovation hub.
“Just as Surat is known as the Diamond City and Bengaluru as the Silicon Valley, this region will soon be recognised as India’s Drone Hub,” he said.
The Defence Minister said the projects would act as “growth poles” for the region by generating large-scale employment opportunities, strengthening supply chains and encouraging the development of MSMEs, engineering colleges and technical institutions linked to the defence ecosystem.
He also highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s defence manufacturing sector over the past decade, stating that defence production had increased from around ₹46,000 crore in 2014 to nearly ₹1.54 lakh crore currently.
“We are confident that defence production will touch ₹1.75 lakh crore within the next one or two months,” Singh said, adding that defence exports had also risen sharply from ₹600 crore a decade ago to around ₹40,000 crore.
CM Naidu praised the Centre’s focus on indigenous defence production and technological advancement, saying Andhra Pradesh was committed to becoming a major destination for defence and aerospace manufacturing.
“New Andhra Pradesh is being built on the pillars of innovation, infrastructure and industrialisation. As India moves towards Viksit Bharat, Andhra Pradesh will lead from the front,” he said.
CM Naidu also described Operation Sindoor as an example of India’s growing military strength and technological capability under the government’s self-reliance initiatives.
The event was attended by Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, senior defence officials, industry representatives and ministers from the Andhra Pradesh government.
