/newsfirstprime/media/agency_attachments/2025/07/28/2025-07-28t111554609z-2025-07-23t100810984z-newsfirst_prime_640-siddesh-kumar-h-p-1-2025-07-23-15-38-10-2025-07-28-16-45-54.webp)
Follow Us
/newsfirstprime/media/post_attachments/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Narendra-Modi-Tejas-Jet-HAL.jpg)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed a heightened sense of pride and confidence in India's indigenous capabilities after completing a sortie on the Tejas, the domestically manufactured light combat fighter aircraft, in Bengaluru. During his visit to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited facility, the Prime Minister not only reviewed the ongoing work but also emphasized the enriching experience of flying on the Tejas.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi conveyed that the Tejas sortie significantly bolstered his confidence in the nation's indigenous capabilities, instilling in him a renewed sense of pride and optimism about the country's potential. Despite Tejas being a single-seater fighter aircraft, the Prime Minister opted for a sortie in the twin-seat trainer variant, commonly operated by the Air Force and the Navy.
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)
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
">November 25, 2023
The Tejas, classified as a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter aircraft, is designed to provide offensive air support and close combat assistance for ground operations. The Indian Air Force presently operates 40 Tejas MK-1 aircraft, with an additional 83 Tejas MK-1A fighters on order in a deal valued at Rs 36,468 crore.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) played a pivotal role in the development of the Tejas, featuring a home-built fly-by-wire system, a notable achievement for the HAL. The company has an order for 18 twin-seaters from the Indian Air Force, with plans to deliver eight of them by 2023-24 and the remaining 10 progressively by 2026-27.
The Tejas program, initiated in the late 1980s, aims to replace the ageing MiG-21 aircraft in the Indian Air Force fleet by 2025. The MiG-21s have been in service since 1963, and the Tejas Mark 1A is poised to take on this role, showcasing the evolution of India's capabilities in the field of aeronautics.
