New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sortie on Tejas fighter aircraft on Saturday and took to personal X handle to share first photos from the flight.
Sharing termed the experience as ‘incredibly enriching’. He also said that the experience left him with a renewed sense of pride and optimism about our national potential.
“Successfully completed a sortie on the Tejas. The experience was incredibly enriching, significantly bolstering my confidence in our country’s indigenous capabilities, and leaving me with a renewed sense of pride and optimism about our national potential,” Modi wrote on X while sharing some pictures.
Successfully completed a sortie on the Tejas. The experience was incredibly enriching, significantly bolstering my confidence in our country’s indigenous capabilities, and leaving me with a renewed sense of pride and optimism about our national potential. pic.twitter.com/4aO6Wf9XYO
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 25, 2023
Prime Minister’s sortie in Tejas aircraft came during a visit to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) site in Bengaluru.
मैं आज तेजस में उड़ान भरते हुए अत्यंत गर्व के साथ कह सकता हूं कि हमारी मेहनत और लगन के कारण हम आत्मनिर्भरता के क्षेत्र में विश्व में किसी से कम नहीं हैं। भारतीय वायुसेना, DRDO और HAL के साथ ही समस्त भारतवासियों को हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं। pic.twitter.com/xWJc2QVlWV
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 25, 2023
It may be noted that the homegrown light combat aircraft has drawn the attention and interest of global powers, with many of them showing intent to buy it.
Recently, US defence giant GE Aerospace had inked pact with HAL to jointly produce engines for the Mk-II-Tejas.
Modi govt’s mega push for homegrown defence products
It may be noted that Modi government has been pushing for indigenous production of defence products. On many occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself laid emphasis on the importance of developing & producing own defence products and also paving way for their exports.
Since coming to power in 2014, Modi government has taken giant steps in increasing defense preparedness and indigenisation including Tejas aircraft.
The first version of the aircraft was inducted into the IAF in 2016. Currently, two squadrons of IAF, 45 Squadron and 18 Squadron, are fully operational with LCA Tejas.
Under Modi Government, an order worth Rs 36,468 Crore for delivery of 83 LCA Mk 1A aircraft has been placed with HAL and delivery is scheduled to begin by February 2024.
More than Rs 9000 Crore have been sanctioned for the development of LCA Mk 2, an updated and more lethal version of LCA Tejas.
To further promote indigenisation, including of the aircraft engine, Transfer of Technology for manufacturing of the GE engine in India has been negotiated with GE during Prime Minister’s visit to the US in June 2023.
