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Lepakshi vs Bengaluru: Understanding the silent turf war over HAL’s future

Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh

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Not a Shift

N. Chandrababu Naidu isn’t relocating Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)—he’s offering 10,000 acres at Lepakshi for new HAL facilities like AMCA and Tejas production.

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Bengaluru-Adjacent

Lepakshi is 70–100 km from Bengaluru and just an hour from the airport—logistically ideal for HAL’s supply chain but officially in Andhra Pradesh.

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Mega Land Offer

Andhra Pradesh is offering 10,000 contiguous acres—something Bengaluru can’t match—for HAL’s next-gen fighter projects.

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Defence Corridor Push

The proposal is part of Andhra’s vision to build India’s third defence industrial corridor, with HAL expansion as the anchor.

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Bengaluru is Full

Andhra argues Bengaluru is saturated, with no room for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s AMCA-scale manufacturing needs.

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Jobs and Ecosystem

Bringing HAL to Lepakshi would generate high-tech jobs, attract defence vendors, and boost Andhra’s economy.

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Karnataka Pushback

Karnataka opposes any relocation of existing HAL units but acknowledges Andhra’s right to seek future expansions.

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Ministry in Control

The Ministry of Defence will decide HAL’s expansion fate under the new AMCA execution model that allows new sites and PPPs.

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Fighter Production Race

India’s urgent need for Tejas and AMCA jets means HAL must scale fast—and Andhra wants to be the launchpad.