Grounding ceremonies held for private sector projects for Ammunitions, Propellants & Fuses; 8 companies collaborate to establish Drone City in the state

Aatmanirbharta in defence is a critical imperative for national security: RM


“These ‘Growth Pole’ projects would create massive employment opportunities”


“Nation moving forward with Whole of People approach; PPP model has transformed defence manufacturing into mass movement”


Defence production set to reach all-time high figure of 1.75 lakh crore within 1-2 months, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandra Babu Naidu laid the foundation stones and presided over the grounded ceremonies for a range of strategic aerospace and defence projects at Puttaparthi in Sri Satya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh on May 15, 2026. The foundation stones were laid for the Core Integration & Flight Testing Centre at Puttaparthi to fast-track the development of Fifth-Generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) & other future indigenous platforms, and the Naval Systems Manufacturing Facility at T Sirasapalli village in Anakapalli district to cater to the requirements of advanced underwater weapon & naval combat systems.

The grounding ceremonies were carried out for the Defence Energetics Facility and the Ammunition & Electric Fuses Plant at Madakasira in Sri Satya Sai District. In addition, a consortium of eight drone companies have joined forces to establish a Drone City in Kurnool. Various companies also exchanged MoUs with the government of Andhra Pradesh to establish defence units in the state.

In his address, the minister described the commencement of the projects as “truly historic”, asserting that Aatmanirbharta in defence manufacturing is a critical imperative to safeguard national interests in the current era of global turbulence. He stated that, in matters of national security, the aim must be to achieve self-reliance rather than perpetual dependence on other nations.

“These projects will cater to all the branches of the defence forces. This strategic diversification is not coincidental. Our objective is crystal clear: We are advancing with the resolute goal of achieving self-reliance in the defence sector, ensuring that the three Services are future-ready. The projects will prove to be a milestone in the nation’s pursuit of self-reliance and Andhra Pradesh’s journey of development,” said Rajnath Singh.

He added that these projects will serve as powerful “Growth Poles”, resulting in massive employment generation. “The local academic institutions, including engineering colleges and ITIs, will become integral parts of this initiative. Robust supply chains will be established, and small-scale industries will flourish. The local youth will gain a platform to work, learn, and grow within the realm of high-end technology. This will foster the development of an entire ecosystem, which will play a key role in the holistic development of the state.”

The total outlay for the AMCA programme is around Rs 15,000 crore, and the Core Integration & Flight Testing Centre of Aeronautical Development Agency, an affiliate organisation of DRDO, is a vital component of the project. The facility is being established at a cost of approx. Rs 2,000 crore. “Puttaparthi is set to join the exclusive league of global destinations from which a fifth-generation aircraft will take to the skies. It will become the birthplace of an aircraft capable of annihilating the enemy in the blink of an eye,” Singh stated.

The Naval Systems Manufacturing Facility, a Rs 480 crore project of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), will focus on autonomous underwater vehicles, underwater counter-measure systems, and next-generation torpedoes. It will manufacture several critical components and sub-systems that the nation has, until now, been importing from abroad. Raksha Mantri exuded confidence that the project will significantly enhance the Indian Navy's capabilities and prove to be a game-changer for the nation’s Blue Economy and maritime security.

The Defence Energetics Facility of Agneyastra Energetics Limited, a subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited, is being set-up with an investment of Rs 1,500 crore. Singh hoped that the facility will produce weapons that will bolster India’s preparedness for the battles of the future.

The Ammunition and Electric Fuse Plant of HFCL Limited, is being established with an investment of around Rs 1,200 crore. Terming ‘fuse’ as the most critical component of any ammunition, Raksha Mantri expressed confidence that the project will mark the beginning of a new chapter in the country’s journey towards self-reliance in ammunition manufacturing. “The state-of-the-art fuses manufactured at the plant will significantly bolster the capabilities of our defence forces,” he said.

Listing out the progress achieved due to the Government’s efforts, Rajnath Singh stated that the defence production has risen to an all-time high of nearly Rs 1.54 lakh crore from just Rs 46,000 crore in 2014. He expressed confidence that the defence production will reach an all-time high figure of 1.75 lakh crore within one or two months. He added that defence exports, which were around Rs 600 crore a decade ago, have touched a record approx. Rs 40,000 crore today.

The minister concluded his address by urging the people to remain vigilant in the present era of misinformation. “It isn’t necessary that our adversaries try to attack us solely with weapons. They may attempt to cause harm by spreading rumors or misinformation. They might spread rumors claiming that the country has run out of oil, or a calamity is about to befall the nation. This is done with the specific intent of creating chaos and anarchy in the country. We must remain extremely vigilant as a single piece of misinformation can prove to be harmful. If the Prime Minister has advised us to utilise public transport or conserve fuel, it should be viewed in the spirit of advice,” he said.