Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri 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, Raksha Mantri 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 Shri Rajnath Singh.

Raksha Mantri 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,” he said.

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,” stated Shri Rajnath Singh.

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. Shri Rajnath 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.

On the upcoming Drone City, Shri Rajnath Singh commended the young entrepreneurs for their collaborative vision, and said that these units, though individually small in scale, are vital components which will transform the vision of Make-in-India into a tangible reality. “Drone technology has emerged as a true game changer in modern warfare. Moreover, its role is rapidly expanding across other sectors. I am confident that the drones produced here will carry India’s banner of excellence across the globe. Just as Surat is known as the ‘Diamond City’ and Bengaluru as India’s ‘Silicon Valley,’ this region will soon be recognised as the ‘Drone Hub’ of the nation,” he said.

Raksha Mantri highlighted that, over the past 10 years, the Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has strived to bridge the divide between the public and private sectors. He added that, today, the nation is moving forward not merely with a Whole of Government approach, but with a Whole of Country and Whole of People approach. “Be it an individual innovator, a large corporation, a start-up, or an MSME, everyone is contributing to national security. The Public-Private Partnership model has successfully transformed defence manufacturing into a mass movement,” he said.

Listing out the progress achieved due to the Government’s efforts, Shri 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.

Raksha Mantri 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.

Shri Rajnath Singh emphasised that the task of nation-building is accomplished through collective effort. “Let us join hands and build a nation that not only safeguards itself but, with the spirit of universal brotherhood, is also capable of extending assistance to the entire world,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh commended the efforts of PM Modi and Raksha Mantri towards strengthening India’s defence capabilities and modernising the military with sustained focus on indigenisation & self-reliance. He stated that the nation’s preparedness and global standing in defence & aerospace sectors have enhanced due to the continued emphasis on reforms, investment and innovation.

Shri N Chandra Babu Naidu described Operation Sindoor as a proud example of India’s growing strength & technological progress, and the success of Aatmanirbharta in defence. He expressed confidence that the facilities, for which the foundation stones have been laid, will bolster the defence preparedness of the country and foster growth in the region.

The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh called upon the industries and entrepreneurs to “Design-in-Andhra Pradesh, Make-in-Andhra Pradesh, lead-from-Andhra Pradesh”, extending the State Government’s full cooperation. “New Andhra Pradesh is being built with three strengths – Innovation, Infrastructure & Industrialisation. As India marches towards the goal of Viksit Bharat, Andhra Pradesh will lead from the front,” he said.

Minister of Civil Aviation Shri Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Ministers in the AP Government, Secretary (Defence Production) Shri Sanjeev Kumar, other senior officials of Ministry of Defence, and industry representatives were present on the occasion.