Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a historic journey on Saturday by taking a sortie on a Tejas aircraft during his visit to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited site in Bengaluru. Sharing his exhilarating experience on the social media platform X, the Prime Minister expressed profound pride in the indigenous capabilities of the country.

"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," stated Prime Minister Modi in a post on X.

Flying in the Tejas, Prime Minister Modi affirmed, "I can say with immense pride that due to our hard work and dedication, we are no less than anyone in the world in the field of self-reliance. Heartiest congratulations to the Indian Air Force, DRDO, and HAL, as well as all Indians." His arrival in Bengaluru included a visit to the Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, where he meticulously reviewed the ongoing work at its manufacturing facilities.

A video capturing the Prime Minister's remarkable Tejas experience was published, documenting the historic moment. Prime Minister Modi has been an advocate for indigenous production of defense products, emphasizing the government's efforts in boosting manufacturing and exports within India.

The global appeal of the Tejas was underscored by various countries expressing interest in purchasing this light combat aircraft. During the Prime Minister's recent state visit to the US, a significant pact was signed between GE Aerospace and HAL to jointly produce engines for the Mk-II-Tejas.

Highlighting the achievements in defense exports, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh noted in April that India had reached an all-time high of ₹15,920 crore in 2022-2023. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, a substantial order of ₹36,468 crore for the delivery of 83 LCA Mk 1A Tejas aircraft has been placed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Furthermore, efforts to advance indigenization, including the transfer of technology for manufacturing the GE engine in India, were successfully negotiated during the Prime Minister's visit to the US in June 2023.