On Sunday, February 9, 2025, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh will take to the skies in the trainer version of the LCA TEJAS fighter aircraft at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru. This event, which takes place before the Aero India air show, showcases the commitment of the Indian military to using homegrown weaponry. The two chiefs are National Defence Academy (NDA) classmates.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed the LCA TEJAS, a domestic fighter aircraft produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). About 40 of these aircraft have already been introduced by the Indian Air Force, and 83 more TEJAS MK-1As are scheduled to be added soon.
Problems with the US engine manufacturer GE’s supply chain have caused delays in the delivery of these aircraft. In addition to the 83 aircraft, the Indian Air Force is thinking of acquiring an additional 97 of these aircraft.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also flew on the TEJAS aircraft in November 2023. He claimed that the encounter greatly increased his faith in the nation’s own talents and gave him a fresh sense of pride and hope for the future of the country.
In related news, the Vice Chiefs of the Indian Air Force, Navy, and Army took to the skies in the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS, which are made in India. The lead fighter was flown by Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS) Air Marshal AP Singh, while the TEJAS twin-seater was flown by Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan and Vice Chief of the Army Staff Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani.
This combined involvement showed how the air, sea, and land forces are placing a greater focus on cross-domain cooperation. The flight took place over Jodhpur as part of India’s first multi-national exercise, Tarang Shakti 2024, which aims to improve operational coordination and interoperability.
