Successful Flight of Tejas Mk1A
India’s first indigenous fighter jet, Tejas Mk1A, successfully flew on Friday, 17 October. This milestone will further strengthen the Indian Air Force’s capabilities. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Nasik to witness the event.
Rajnath Singh on Defence Self-Reliance
Rajnath Singh said:
“Seeing the flight of Sukhoi-30, LCA, and HTT-40 jets built at the Nasik division filled me with pride. These flights symbolize India’s journey toward self-reliance in defence. HAL Nasik has played a pivotal role in elevating India’s defence manufacturing for over six decades.”
India Producing Majority of Defence Equipment Domestically
The Defence Minister highlighted that India now manufactures 65% of defence equipment domestically, reducing dependency on imports. He added that India aims to achieve 100% domestic defence manufacturing soon.
Operation Sindur Highlight
Rajnath Singh recalled Operation Sindur, where HAL teams provided round-the-clock support for fighter jets like Sukhoi, Jaguar, Mirage, Tejas, and helicopters to maintain operational readiness — demonstrating India’s capability to both build and defend with indigenous equipment.
