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.