Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday ‘successfully completed’ a sortie on the Tejas aircraft. Calling his experience ‘incredibly enriching’, PM Modi said that it significantly bolstered his confidence in India’s indigenous capabilities. “It left me with a renewed sense of pride and optimism about our national potential,” the prime minister added.
PM Modi flew in Tejas during his visit to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru. Reports earlier stated that the prime minister is expected to review the functioning of the state-run plane maker and visit some of its manufacturing facilities.
#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew a sortie on Tejas aircraft in Bengaluru, Karnataka, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/TNtWyHHDu9— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2023
According to local reports, Modi’s visit comes at a time when HAL has found itself in the spotlight after the Indian Air Force announced plans to buy more fighter jets, and light combat helicopters (LCH) and to upgrade its Sukhoi-30s. These potential contracts are worth billions of dollars.
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
HAL is also set to begin work on jointly designing and developing helicopter engines with French firm Safran and is negotiating a deal for the joint production of fighter jet engines in the country with US firm GE Aerospace, a report in Hindustan Times stated.
Politicians Who Flew IAF Aircrafts
• In 2019, Rajnath Singh flew the light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas. After his 30-minute sortie, the Union Minister said he enjoyed the “smooth and comfortable ride”. “It was very smooth and comfortable. I was enjoying. I want to congratulate HAL, DRDO and several concerned agencies. We have reached a level where we can export fighter planes across the world,” news agency ANI had quoted him as saying.
Flying on ‘Tejas’, an Indigenous Light Combat Aircraft from Bengaluru’s HAL Airport was an amazing and exhilarating experience. Tejas is a multi-role fighter with several critical capabilities. It is meant to strengthen India’s air defence capabilities. pic.twitter.com/jT95afb0O7
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) September 19, 2019
• As defence minister, Nirmala Sitharaman undertook a sortie in Sukhoi-30 MKI in the western sector of Rajasthan on January 17, 2018, becoming the country’s first woman defence minister to wear the pilot’s G-suit and sit in the rear seat behind the pilot.
• Union minister Kiren Rijiju flew a Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft, in May 2016. He took off from Indian Air Force’s Halwara base in Punjab and flew around for about 30 minutes in the supersonic jet.
• BJP leader Rajiv Pratap Rudy flew in Sukhoi-30 MKI on February 19, 2015, during Aero India air show.
• As minister of state for defence, BJP’s Rao Inderjit Singh flew in a Su-30 from Hindon air base, near Delhi, in August 2015.
• Former president Pratibha Patil made history on November 25, 2009, by becoming the first woman head of state to fly in a warplane. She took off in a frontline Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet aircraft from the air force base in Pune at the age of 74 years.
• APJ Abdul Kalam was the first president to undertake 30-minute sortie on the IAF’s Sukhoi-30 MKI, on June 8, 2006.
• As defence minister in the NDA government, George Fernandes flew in SU-30 MKI from Lohegaon Air Force Station on June 22, 2003.
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