Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Kochi and Bengaluru to attend a series of official programmes, including a key ceremony for the handover of indigenously developed aircraft and helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Pawan Hans Ltd.
Singh said in a post on X that he would begin his engagements in Kerala before travelling to Karnataka for defence-related programmes.
Later in the evening, he will be in Bengaluru to preside over the handing-over ceremony of LCA Tejas FOC Twin Seater Trainers and HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft to the IAF, along with Dhruv NG helicopters to Pawan Hans Ltd.
“Later in the evening, I will be in Bengaluru (Karnataka) to attend the handing-over ceremony of LCA Tejas FOC Twin Seater Trainers & HTT 40 Basic Trainer Aircraft to the Indian Air Force and Dhruv NG helicopters to Pawan Hans Ltd. Looking forward to it,” the Defence Minister said.
The handover is being seen as another step in India’s push for self-reliance in the aerospace and defence sectors. The ceremony will highlight the contribution of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and its industry partners towards strengthening the country’s domestic aerospace ecosystem.
The event will also showcase the industry’s growing ability to design, develop and manufacture advanced platforms for both military and civil applications.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, along with representatives of regulatory agencies and stakeholders from the aerospace and defence sectors, will attend the ceremony.
The government has placed a strong focus on indigenous design, development and manufacturing in the aerospace and defence sectors. The induction of the new platforms is aimed at further strengthening domestic capabilities and reducing dependence on foreign sources.
The two incoming LCA Tejas trainers have been built to the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) standard. The complete Mk1 fleet comprises 16 Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) fighters, 16 FOC fighters and eight twin-seat trainers.
The LCA Mk1A is the most advanced version of the LCA Tejas. It features an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, an electronic warfare suite with radar warning and self-protection jamming, a Digital Map Generator (DMG), Smart Multi-function Displays (SMFD), Combined Interrogator and Transponder (CIT), an Advanced Radio Altimeter and other advanced features.
The LCA Tejas is a 4.5-generation, all-weather, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is designed to carry out offensive air support, close combat and ground-attack missions, besides being capable of undertaking ground and maritime operations.
(with agencies input)
