Karnataka: Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a sortie aboard the Tejas aircraft at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility in Bengaluru on Saturday. Sharing the experience, he expressed confidence in India's indigenous capabilities, underscoring a renewed sense of pride and optimism.
Scheduled to review HAL's manufacturing facility in Bengaluru, including the Tejas jets production unit, the Prime Minister's sortie aligned with his commitment to bolstering indigenous defence production. PM Modi also emphasized the government's efforts to enhance manufacturing within the country and promote exports of defence products.
Shortly after completing his sortie, PM Modi took to his official social media handle on X (formerly Twitter) and shared his experience of flying on the mighty fighter jet. "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," wrote PM Modi in his post.
Upcoming Projects Of HAL
The Indian Air Force has recently issued a tender to HAL for the acquisition of 12 advanced Su-30MKI fighter jets. Reports citing defence sources revealed that the HAL is expected to respond to the tender next month, providing comprehensive project details in collaboration with Russian original equipment manufacturers.
Highlighting India's growing defence prowess, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced in April that the country achieved a record-high of ₹15,920 crore in defence exports for FY 2022-2023. This milestone reflects the success of the government's strategy to strengthen the defence manufacturing sector.
About Tejas Aircraft's Growing Popularity
Tejas, a light combat aircraft, has garnered international interest, with several countries expressing a desire to purchase it. During the Prime Minister's state visit to the United States, a pact was established between HAL and US defence giant GE Aerospace for joint production of engines for the Mk-II-Tejas.
