Army, Air Force chiefs to fly joint sortie

Bengaluru: The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh and the Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi will undertake a joint sortie in the LCA Tejas trainer aircraft at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru on Sunday.

The event, scheduled just a day before the commencement of the Aero India air show, is aimed at reaffirming the armed forces’ confidence in domestically produced military technology. Defence officials emphasised that the move highlights the growing reliance on Made in India weapon systems and supports the country’s push for self-reliance under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

The LCA Tejas, an indigenous fighter aircraft developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has been a key part of India’s push for domestically produced defence equipment. The aircraft used for the sortie will be the twin-seat trainer variant of the Tejas, designed for pilot training and operational conversion.

Both the Army and Air Force chiefs share a long-standing association as course mates from the National Defence Academy (NDA), making this joint flight a symbolic representation of inter-service cooperation.

The significance of the Tejas in India’s defence strategy was further highlighted in November 2023 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi undertook a sortie in the aircraft. Following his flight, he expressed his confidence in India’s indigenous defence capabilities, stating that the experience strengthened his faith in the country’s technological potential and national self-reliance.The upcoming joint sortie by the chiefs of the Air Force and Army serves as yet another milestone in showcasing the growing prominence of the LCA Tejas in India’s defence ecosystem, while reinforcing the importance of inter-service coordination in strengthening national security.