India's Prime Minister Takes Flight in Tejas Fighter

Following Narendra Modi's visit, fighter jet manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited said it is rededicating itself to fulfilling the country's goals of self-reliance in the defense sector.

Kimberly Johnson

Monday, November 27, 2023 at 03:46 PM ET

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India Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed a sortie in a twin-seat light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas on Saturday. [Courtesy: Office of Prime Minister of India]

Key Takeaways:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew a sortie in India’s indigenous twin-seat Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, reportedly the first time an Indian prime minister has flown a fighter jet.
Following the flight, Modi expressed significant confidence in the country's indigenous fighter aircraft manufacturing capabilities, bolstering a sense of national pride and optimism about India's self-reliance in defense.
The flight comes after the Indian Air Force took delivery of its first twin-seat Tejas, which HAL states is a versatile 4.5-generation fighter destined to be a mainstay of the IAF fleet.

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India Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence in the country’s fighter aircraft manufacturing capability after flying a sortie in a twin-seat light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas on Saturday.

Modi’s flight—reportedly the first for an Indian prime minister in a fighter jet—comes in the wake of the Indian Air Force (IAF) taking delivery of its first LCA Tejas fighter, produced by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), in October.