BENGALURU – In a post on social media platform X, Prime Minister Modi expressed profound satisfaction, stating, “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.”
Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, the Indian Air Force Chief, supervised the preparations for the Prime Minister’s maiden flight in the Made in India Tejas fighter. The aircraft was expertly piloted by Indian Air Force test pilot Group Captain Debanjan Mandal, ensuring a smooth and commendable journey.
PM Modi’s visit to Bengaluru encompassed an extensive review of the manufacturing facility, specifically the Tejas jet facility. The Indian Air Force recently issued a procurement tender to the state-owned HAL to acquire 12 advanced Su-30MKI fighter jets. HAL will manufacture these aircraft in India in collaboration with original Russian equipment manufacturers.