Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sortie on a Tejas fighter aircraft in Bengaluru on Saturday (November 25) during his visit to state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. PM Modi is in the city to review the work progress at the manufacturing facility.
According to the sources, the Prime Minister took the flight for nearly 45 minutes in the light combat IAF aircraft.
PM Modi tweets
PM Modi shared the pictures of his flight and said that the experience of sortie in homegrown aircraft significantly bolstered his confidence in the country's indigenous capabilities.
"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," the Prime Minister posted on X.
He hailed the Indian Air Force, DRDO and HAL and said that India is not lesser than anyone in the world in the field of self-reliance.
"Flying in Tejas today, I can say with immense pride that due to our hard work and dedication, we are no less than anyone in the world in the field of self-reliance. Heartiest congratulations to the Indian Air Force, DRDO and HAL as well as all Indians," he posted on X.
Centre's push for country's defence preparedness
According to sources, an order worth Rs 36,468 crore for delivery of 83 LCA Mk 1A aircraft has been placed with HAL and the delivery is set to take place by February 2024.
"Modi government has taken steps to increase the country's defence preparedness and indigenisation which includes 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," Sources said.
"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 the Prime Minister’s visit to the US in June 2023," they added.
PM Modi on indigenisation of defence sector
The Prime Minister, on various occasions, has been vocal about indigenisation of defence products and has highlighted his government's push for their local manufacturing and exports as part of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Several nations have expressed keen interest to procure Tejas. The US defence production giant GE Aerospace had signed a pact with HAL to jointly produce engines for the Mk-II-Tejas, when PM Modi had made his first state visit to the US earlier this year.
(With ANI inputs)
