Historic flight by India's defence Vice Chiefs
The Vice Chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force flew a joint flight today, piloting the indigenously manufactured Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. The Vice Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal AP Singh, led the flight, while the Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani, and the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, joined in Tejas twin-seater jets. This event is the first time all three Vice Chiefs have flown together, throwing light on India's advancing integrated defence capabilities.
Exercise Tarang Shakti 2024 at Jodhpur
The flight flew over Jodhpur during the Indian Air Force’s exercise Tarang Shakti 2024. This exercise is India's first multinational event aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational coordination among participating Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs). The exercise is a significant step towards strengthening ties and cooperation with various international partners.
Tejas: A product of ‘Make in India’
The Tejas, an indigenously designed and developed aircraft by Aeronautical Design Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), showcasing India's growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing. The use of the Tejas in this exercise shows the importance of indigenous platforms in modernising India's defence infrastructure, reducing dependence on foreign imports, and supporting the 'Make in India' initiative.
Interaction with International and Indian Forces
After the flight, the three Vice Chiefs took the opportunity to interact with the forces participating in the exercise, including those from India and the Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs).