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:

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew a historic sortie in the twin-seat indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, marking the first such flight for an Indian premier.
Following the flight, Modi expressed strong confidence in India's domestic fighter aircraft manufacturing capabilities and indigenous defense potential, fostering a sense of national pride.
The Tejas, a 4.5 generation multirole fighter produced by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is expected to be a mainstay of the Indian Air Force and contributes significantly to India's "Atamanirbharta" (self-reliant India) goals.

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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.