New Delhi. 19 September 2019. Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has scripted history by becoming the first Raksha Mantri to fly the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’. Rajnath Singh undertook 30-minute sortie in the indigenously-built multi-role fighter aircraft with Air Vice Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport in Bengaluru this morning.The Defence Minister described his experience of flying the fourth-generation aircraft as ’thrilling and special’. Congratulating HAL, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) for building the multi-role fighter aircraft. He said demand has been received for ‘Tejas’ from different countries and felt proud that India has reached a stage where fighter aircraft and arms & ammunition can be exported to the world.
Air Vice Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari said that the Minister even controlled ‘Tejas’ in the air for some time and was shown the Avionics and Sophisticated Systems onboard the aircraft.
Earlier the Minister was briefed about the functioning of the ‘Tejas’ by senior officials of Air Force. Tejas is a multi-role fighter with several critical capabilities. It is meant to strengthen India’s air defence capabilities.
