Under no means should HAL be given any participation in AMCA.
They need to deliver 83 TejasMk1A, another 97 TejasMk1A/B, 120+ Tejas MK2. Probably more orders coming for Hawks or future trainer. And the CATS warrior thing. I assure you none of this will be on time. Giving them AMCA will be an exercise in putting more fresh eggs in a basket of rotting eggs.
I would make the following changes to the EOI:
1. Allow recruitment of foreign talent at CEO, CTO other positions.
2. Allow minority participation in consortium by a foreign OEM from a vetted country.
3. Remove this stupid 2000cr a year clause, or allow for participants to count the revenue of other group companies.
4. Make a clause that any participant with a large undelivered order book with delays is disqualified - hence removing HAL.
5. HAL can participate as a Tier 1 vendor or supplier if they have capacity.
We want to have at least 2-3 aerospace majors in the next 10-20 years, this is the only way.
If no private company comes forward, government should create a new Greenfield semi-PSU as an alternative to HAL. Bharat Aerospace or whatever you want to call it.
Under no means should HAL be given any participation in AMCA.
They need to deliver 83 TejasMk1A, another 97 TejasMk1A/B, 120+ Tejas MK2. Probably more orders coming for Hawks or future trainer. And the CATS warrior thing. I assure you none of this will be on time. Giving them AMCA will be an exercise in putting more fresh eggs in a basket of rotting eggs.
I would make the following changes to the EOI:
1. Allow recruitment of foreign talent at CEO, CTO other positions.
2. Allow minority participation in consortium by a foreign OEM from a vetted country.
3. Remove this stupid 2000cr a year clause, or allow for participants to count the revenue of other group companies.
4. Make a clause that any participant with a large undelivered order book with delays is disqualified - hence removing HAL.
5. HAL can participate as a Tier 1 vendor or supplier if they have capacity.
We want to have at least 2-3 aerospace majors in the next 10-20 years, this is the only way.
If no private company comes forward, government should create a new Greenfield semi-PSU as an alternative to HAL. Bharat Aerospace or whatever you want to call it.
Look, I get the frustration with HAL—delays on Tejas Mk1A, Mk2, and other projects are real, and it’s tempting to just sideline them for AMCA. But completely cutting HAL out? That’s a bad call, and here’s why:
1. They’ve built Tejas, worked on Su-30s, and handled Hawks. That’s serious experience with aircraft design and production, especially for something as tricky as a fifth-gen stealth fighter like AMCA. Kicking them out means tossing away decades of know-how.
2. HAL’s got a lot on its plate—83 Mk1As, 97 more, 120+ Mk2s, maybe Hawks and CATS Warrior. But they’re scaling up with new plants and outsourcing parts. AMCA’s a long-term project; it won’t clog their lines right away.
3. National Security Risk-HAL’s a PSU, so it’s tied to India’s goals, not profit margins. A private company or some new “Bharat Aerospace” might chase bucks or, worse, leak sensitive tech if foreign players get involved. HAL keeps things in-house.
4. Your EOI Ideas Don’t Quite Work:
- Foreign CEOs or CTOs? Sounds cool, but it’s a security nightmare for a project like AMCA.
- Letting foreign OEMs take a stake? That’s asking for India’s IP to end up overseas. They can consult, like GE does for Tejas engines, without owning a piece.
- Dropping the ₹2000 Cr revenue rule? That’s there to make sure whoever takes this on can bankroll it. HAL can; smaller players might not.
- Banning companies with delayed orders? Delays happen everywhere—look at Boeing’s 737 MAX mess. HAL’s issues aren’t all their fault (IAF changes, supply chain hiccups).
- Making HAL just a supplier? That’s like benching your star player. They’ve got design skills, not just assembly lines.
5. Starting a “Bharat Aerospace” from scratch? That’s years of setup, hiring, and cash burn. HAL’s already got factories, test ranges, and people ready to go.
Instead of ditching HAL, bring them in as a partner with private firms. They’ve got the experience, and splitting the load could actually speed things up. Excluding them entirely? That’s just shooting ourselves in the foot.