In a significant display of confidence in India’s indigenous defence capabilities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sortie on a Tejas aircraft during his visit to Bengaluru’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) site. Sharing his experience on the social media platform X, the PM expressed pride in the nation’s self-reliance achievements.
“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,” Modi shared in a post on X.
Asserting India’s global standing in self-reliance, Modi congratulated the Indian Air Force, DRDO, and HAL, emphasizing the nation’s prowess in the field. The PM’s visit included a review of ongoing work at HAL’s manufacturing facilities.
The Prime Minister has been a staunch advocate for indigenous defence production, underscoring the government’s efforts to boost manufacturing and exports. Interest in Tejas, a light combat aircraft, has been evident globally, with GE Aerospace and HAL partnering to produce engines during Modi’s recent US visit.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted India’s record-high defence exports at ₹15,920 crore in 2022-2023, emphasizing the nation’s remarkable achievement. Under Modi’s leadership, a substantial order of ₹36,468 crore has been placed for 83 LCA Mk 1A Tejas aircraft, set for delivery starting February 2024. The government’s commitment to defence preparedness and indigenisation is evident, with over ₹9,000 crore allocated for the development of the more potent LCA Mk 2 version.
In a move to further bolster indigenisation, Modi’s visit to the US in June 2023 resulted in the negotiation of technology transfer for the manufacturing of GE engines in India, promoting self-sufficiency, and strengthening the nation’s defence capabilities.
