In a first, Army, IAF chiefs fly Tejas together

BENGALURU: In a first, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi shared a 45-minute flight in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas at Yelahanka Air Force Station on Sunday, marking a unique prelude to Aero India 2025.

The joint flight by the service chiefs, who are coursemates from the National Defence Academy (NDA), demonstrated high-level confidence in India’s homegrown fighter aircraft. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, later in the day, confirmed that this was the first instance of Army and Air Force chiefs flying a fighter aircraft together.

“It was the best moment of my life,” General Dwivedi told reporters after the sortie, adding that the experience made him wish he had chosen the Air Force as his career path. He playfully acknowledged Air Chief Marshal Singh as his “guru” following their shared flight experience.

His comments were made public through a video of him talking to reporters after landing. The ministry of defence (MoD) had restricted access to media, allowing only the state-run Doordarshan and two news agencies.

The flight showcased the armed forces’ support for indigenous defense manufacturing, coming at a significant time as India pushes its ‘Made in India’ initiative in the defence sector. The Tejas, designed by the Aeronautical Design Agency (ADA) and manufactured by defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), represents India’s growing capabilities in producing advanced military aircraft.

Sunday’s flight follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 30-minute sortie in the Tejas last year in Bengaluru, where he became the first Indian PM to fly in a fighter aircraft.

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