Tejas built up resolutely over decades: Congress on PM Modi's fighter jet ride

New Delhi: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew in Tejas fighter jet, Congress said that the fighter jet is yet another tribute to our indigenous scientific and technological capacity.

“Tejas is yet another tribute to our indigenous scientific and technological capacity and capability that has been built up resolutely over the decades,” Congress General Secretary (Communication) Jairam Ramesh wrote on X.

He said that the Tejas has been designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) which was established in 1984 and that worked collaboratively with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.

“The design for the Light Combat Aircraft was finalised six years later. Operational clearance was granted finally in 2011. There are, of course, a number of other key milestones as well,” the Congress Rajya Sabha MP said.

Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister without naming him, the Congress leader said, “It doesn't cost the master of ‘chunavi photo-ops’ much to acknowledge the efforts and endeavours prior to 2014 that were essential to his claiming credit now.”

The remarks came after the Prime Minister on Saturday took a sortie in the Tejas fighter jet, saying that the experience was incredibly enriching, significantly bolstering my confidence in our country's indigenous capabilities.

Tejas is a single-seater fighter aircraft but the Prime Minister took a sortie in the twin-seat trainer variant operated by the Air Force and the Navy.

Light Combat Aircraft Tejas is a 4.5-generation multi-role fighter aircraft and is designed to take offensive air support and provide close combat support for ground operations.

The LCA was built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and was primarily designed for the Indian Air Force but a naval variant of the Tejas is being tested to undertake Ground Maritime Operations.