1. PM Modi takes a Tejas aircraft sortie at the HAL facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
2. Expresses satisfaction, stating the experience boosts confidence in indigenous capabilities.
3. Plans to review HAL’s manufacturing facility, including the dedicated area for Tejas jets.
Bengaluru, Nov 25: Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a sortie on a Tejas aircraft at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility in Bengaluru, Karnataka, expressing his satisfaction with the experience.
Taking to social media, Modi shared pictures and conveyed that the sortie on the Tejas significantly boosted his confidence in India’s indigenous capabilities, leaving him with a renewed sense of pride and optimism. During his visit to HAL, he also planned to review the manufacturing facility, including the area dedicated to Tejas jets.
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
PM Modi has been actively advocating for the indigenous production of defense products and has emphasized the government’s efforts to enhance manufacturing and exports in India. The Tejas, a light combat aircraft, has garnered interest from several countries, and a partnership between US defense giant GE Aerospace and HAL was established during Modi’s visit to the US for joint engine production for the Mk-II-Tejas.
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In April, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted India’s achievement in defense exports, reaching an all-time high of ₹15,920 crore in FY 2022-2023. The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, announced in October that the Indian Air Force (IAF) was finalizing a ₹1.15 lakh crore deal to procure an additional 97 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft and upgrade 84 Sukhoi-30MKI jets at a cost of ₹60,000 crore.
The defense ministry previously sealed a ₹48,000-crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. With the additional 97 Tejas Mark-1A jets, the IAF’s total indigenously-developed aircraft will reach 180. Additionally, 84 Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets will undergo upgrades at a cost of just over ₹60,000 crore.
Looking ahead, the defense ministry is considering a contract with HAL in the coming year to procure a total of 156 light combat helicopters (LCH), including 66 for the IAF.
The Chief of Air Staff clarified that the procurement of 180 LCA-Mark-1A jets is not linked to future procurement of the Tejas Mark-2 Light Combat Aircraft. The highly anticipated Tejas Mark2 is expected to have its maiden flight by 2025. The Tejas aircraft, a single-engine multi-role fighter, is designed for air defense, maritime reconnaissance, and strike roles in high-threat air environments.
