Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu recently laid the foundation stone for the Rs 15,000-crore AMCA defence hub in Puttaparthi.

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) flight testing and integration complex is a key part of India’s fifth-generation stealth fighter programme, aiming to strengthen the country’s defence aerospace capabilities.

Previously, the Tamil Nadu government under Chief Minister MK Stalin had proposed Hosur as the project site, offering 100 acres of land free of cost along with a 3.5 km runway at Hosur airport. However, the project was eventually shifted to Andhra Pradesh due to strategic planning and approvals already in motion.

It is important to note that such large-scale projects cannot be moved overnight. The decision to locate the AMCA hub in Puttaparthi reflects long-term strategic considerations and Chandrababu Naidu’s efforts in Delhi to bring key defence investments to Andhra Pradesh.

This move has been compared to the earlier relocation of Hwaseung Enterprises’ Rs 1,720-crore footwear plant from Tamil Nadu to Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, demonstrating similar investment trends.

The AMCA defence hub is expected to bolster Andhra Pradesh’s position in India’s aerospace and defence sector while providing significant employment and industrial growth opportunities in the region.