VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh has secured a landmark defence and aerospace project with the Government of India formally extending full support for the establishment of a world-class Aircraft Integration and Flight Testing Complex at Puttaparthi in Sri Sathya Sai district.
The facility, to be set up by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will play a pivotal role in India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme and future indigenous combat aviation platforms. The Ministry of Defence has conveyed in-principle approval following proposals from the government.
The initiative is aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Andhra Pradesh’s Defence and Aerospace Policy 4.0, positioning the State as a preferred destination for advanced manufacturing and defence technology.
Under the approved framework, the government will provide 150 acres of land adjoining the Puttaparthi runway for the testing complex and 200 acres for a satellite office complex and residential township.
The runway will be extended to 10,000 feet, supported by an ATC tower, navigation aids and meteorological systems.
In parallel, the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) has been authorised to develop an industrial land bank, beginning with 300 acres near the core complex for private aerospace and defence manufacturing partners.
This ecosystem is expected to attract investments in avionics, propulsion systems, precision engineering, advanced materials, defence electronics and unmanned platforms.
The Government Order also empowers the Industries and Commerce Department to execute MoUs with ADA, DRDO and the Ministry of Defence to ensure early grounding of the project. Line departments will provide external infrastructure.