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:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew a sortie in the indigenous LCA Tejas twin-seat fighter jet, reportedly the first time for an Indian PM in a fighter aircraft.
Modi expressed strong confidence in India's domestic fighter aircraft manufacturing capabilities, highlighting the nation's indigenous potential and fostering a renewed sense of pride and optimism.
The flight reinforces the significance of the LCA Tejas, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter, which the Indian Air Force recently began receiving and is central to India's "Atamanirbharta" (self-reliant India) goals in the aerospace and defense sector.

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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.