On Wednesday, the Indian Ministry of Defence issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), marking a significant step towards developing an indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet. The Ministry has selected three private companies—Larsen and Toubro-Bharat Electronics Limited, Tata Advanced Systems, and Bharat Forge-BEML—to collaborate on this ambitious project. The initiative, which aims to bolster India's defense capabilities, has an estimated budget of ₹15,000 crore (approximately $1.8 billion USD). The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will lead the program, ensuring competitive opportunities for both private and public sector firms. A crucial component of this effort is the new Core Integration Flight Testing Centre being established in Puttaparthi, which will cost around ₹2,000 crore (about $240 million USD). This facility is expected to expedite the development of the AMCA and other future aerospace platforms. The AMCA is designed with advanced features, including extensive integration of Artificial Intelligence, which will enhance its operational capabilities. A full-scale model of the aircraft is scheduled to be displayed at Aero India 2025 in February.