Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh flies indigenously-built Tejas before retirement

Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh piloted the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas in a solo operational flight, demonstrating the Indian Air Force's commitment to indigenous defence capabilities. The flight, conducted before his scheduled retirement on October 31, comes as the IAF continues to induct the locally-designed and manufactured fighter jets into its operational squadrons.

The Tejas, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under the Aeronautical Development Agency, represents a significant milestone in India's indigenous defence production efforts. The aircraft has undergone extensive testing and evaluation over the past two decades before being cleared for operational deployment with the IAF.

Singh's decision to personally fly the Tejas ahead of his retirement carries symbolic significance, reinforcing institutional confidence in the platform at a time when India is expanding its indigenous military aircraft production capabilities. The move also highlights the IAF's gradual transition towards locally-developed systems as part of its modernization strategy.

The Tejas programme has faced numerous delays and technical challenges since its inception in the 1980s, but recent inductions have marked an important chapter in India's self-reliance in fighter aircraft development. The IAF currently operates multiple squadrons equipped with the Tejas variants.