Bharat Forge, BEML, and Data Patterns Join Forces to Compete for AMCA, Boost Indigenous Manufacturing.

Following the surprising entry of Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) into India’s fifth-generation fighter project, two more private defence companies -Bharat Forge Limited (BFL) and Data Patterns (India) Limited - have teamed up with government-owned BEML to jointly bid for the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme.

The tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on Friday, formalizing the partnership. Under the agreement, Bharat Forge will hold a 50 percent stake, BEML will take 30 percent, and Data Patterns will retain the remaining 20 percent, according to sources familiar with the matter.

This move closely follows L&T’s recent announcement of a strategic partnership with BEL, combining L&T’s aerospace and structural engineering capabilities with BEL’s extensive experience in defence electronics, avionics, and mission systems. Both alliances aim to respond effectively to the Expression of Interest (EoI) issued by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) for the AMCA programme, strengthening competition in indigenous defence manufacturing.