Amaravati, May 14 (IANS) Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh’s Sri Sathya Sai district is set to witness ground breaking of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) flight testing centre on Friday.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will attend the event, which will also mark the launch of multiple defence, aerospace and drone manufacturing projects in the state.

A key highlight of the event will be the AMCA exhibition and technology showcase.

AMCA is India’s indigenous 5th generation stealth fighter programme, being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). It represents one of the country’s most advanced aerospace initiatives.

The event is a major milestone in Andhra Pradesh’s emergence as a national hub for defence manufacturing, aerospace innovation and unmanned systems development. It aligns with the Centre’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the rapid indigenisation of advanced defence technologies, a state government release said.

The exhibition will feature scale models, mission simulations, avionics and systems displays, and interactive defence technology zones.

Alongside the AMCA programme, Andhra Pradesh will witness the grounding of several major defence manufacturing investments spanning missiles, ammunition, energetics, defence propellants and advanced systems manufacturing. These projects collectively represent investments worth thousands of crores and are expected to generate significant employment opportunities in the state. The release said.

The state will also showcase its growing Drone City ecosystem, featuring companies working in autonomous systems, AI-enabled drones, UAV manufacturing, robotics, surveillance technologies, aerospace components and drone R&D.

The Andhra Pradesh government has been actively positioning the state as a preferred destination for high-technology manufacturing sectors by leveraging its industrial infrastructure, port connectivity, skilled workforce and investor-friendly policies. The upcoming event is expected to further strengthen Andhra Pradesh’s standing in India’s evolving defence and aerospace landscape.

–IANS

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