In a first, Defence Minister takes sortie in indigenously built Tejas

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Rajnath's maiden sortie on Tejas LCA in Bengaluru. Photos credit: Rajnath Singh

Bengaluru, September 19: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday flew in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru, becoming the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA).

He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal N Tiwari, who is also the Project Director, National Flight Test Centre, ADA (Aeronautical Development Agency) in Bengaluru.

A Defence Ministry official had said on Wednesday that the minister would be “taking a sortie” in order to boost the morale of officers who have been involved in the development of “indigenously-made Tejas”.

“It will also boost the morale of IAF pilots who are flying these aircraft,” the official had said. PTI