Karnataka’s Minister for Large and Medium Industries, M.B. Patil, firmly opposed any initiative aimed at relocating Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ventures outside Bengaluru. Responding to reports that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has proposed shifting HAL’s high-tech production hubs to his state, Patil asserted, “HAL’s foundation belongs to Bengaluru and should remain rooted here.”

Addressing the press, Patil emphasized Karnataka’s unwavering position in safeguarding its aerospace prominence. “I intend to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and consult with our Chief Minister and the principal secretary regarding the matter. If such a suggestion has been made, it is inappropriate,” he declared. He further pledged to engage with Union ministers representing Karnataka to defend the state’s strategic interests.

The reaction follows news that Naidu has offered 10,000 acres in the Lepakshi-Madakasira belt of Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh — just an hour’s drive from Bengaluru airport — as a potential location for the AMCA and LCA plants. The Andhra CM reportedly highlighted the site’s closeness to Bengaluru and its ample land availability.

Patil clarified that proposing a new HAL expansion facility is reasonable, but shifting existing infrastructure is unacceptable and concerning. “There’s a vast difference between requesting a fresh unit and attempting to relocate long-established operations. I trust Naidu understands institutional processes, and I’d be astonished if he truly made such a request,” Patil concluded.

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