The vice chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force made history on Monday by flying in the indigenously manufactured Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

In the landmark event for defence forces, the flight took place over the skies of Jodhpur where the Indian Air force has organised ‘Tarang Shakti 2024’, the first multi-national exercise aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational coordination among the participating Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs).

Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS), Air Marshal A.P. Singh, flew the lead fighter jet while the Vice Chiefs of Army and Navy, Lt Gen N.S. Raja Subramani and Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, respectively, flew in the Tejas twin-seater.

The flight of the Tejas, a symbol of India’s indigenous defence manufacturing prowess, represented a significant moment for the nation’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Designed by Aeronautical Design Agency (ADA and developed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Tejas is a state-of-the-art multi-role fighter plane designed to meet the needs of the armed forces while reducing reliance on foreign imports.

The joint participation of the vice chiefs of the tri-services demonstrated the growing focus on cross-domain cooperation, with land, sea, and air forces working together to face the modern challenges.

The Ministry of Defence said, “This unprecedented joint flight, marking the first time when the three services Vice Chiefs have flown in one occasion, is a powerful testament to India’s advancing integrated defence capabilities, commitment to self-reliance, and showcases not only their leadership, but also the seamless integration of the armed forces.”

With an array of participants at ‘Tarang Shakti 2024’, the IAF-led exercise aims to foster closer ties that strengthen cooperation with a myriad of capacities.

Inclusion of Tejas in this mission underscored the critical role indigenous platforms are playing in modernising India’s defence infrastructure.

This opportunity was also utilised by the three Vice Chiefs to interact with the participating forces, both from India and the FFCs, an official said.