India's Fifth-Gen Fighter Jet Programme: Godrej To Manufacture Flight Control Actuators For AMCA, Inks Deal With ADA

In a significant development, the aerospace business of Godrej & Boyce, a part of Godrej Enterprises Group, has announced that it has inked a deal with Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) for manufacturing of cutting-edge flight control actuators of India's fifth-generation fighter jet.

The deal was signed during the Aero India 2025, which is being held at Air Force Station Yelahanka in Bengaluru.

"The Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Ministry of Defence, GoI marks a crucial step forward in indigenous manufacturing of flight control actuators for India's Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme," the company said in a statement.

Under the MoU, Godrej Group will undertake comprehensive development of Flight Control Actuators for AMCA, including precision manufacturing, procurement of aerospace-grade raw materials, assembly and testing, and development of test rigs for qualification tests, the company added.

According to the company, this MoU builds upon Godrej's two-decade-long partnership with ADA in developing components for flight-critical DDV-based servo actuators and associated functional elements. 

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program entered its full-scale engineering development phase in April last year following approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

Under a structured 10-year roadmap, five prototypes are planned for rigorous flight testing, with the first expected to be ready by 2028, followed by its maiden flight soon after.

To ensure accountability, the CCS directed AMCA designers to report any cost overruns or delays directly to the committee instead of the defence ministry.

Each prototype is estimated to cost around Rs 1,000 crore, with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) positioning itself as the preferred production partner due to its extensive experience.

However, concerns over HAL’s inconsistent delivery record with previous aircraft projects have led AMCA designers to consider alternative manufacturing partners.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has integrated the AMCA into its long-term modernisation roadmap, planning to induct around seven squadrons from 2035 onward.

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