BENGALURU (Web Desk) - Narendra Modi made history as the first Indian Prime Minister to take a flight in the indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas on Saturday, prompting humorous responses from netizens who playfully dubbed him the "biggest panauti (bad luck)" for the force.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 25, 2023Wearing a G-suite, Modi co-piloted a trainer version of the domestically manufactured aircraft during a brief sortie, accompanied by an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot. The takeoff occurred from the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Airport in Bengaluru.
"Successfully completed a sortie on the Tejas. The experience was incredibly enriching, significantly boosting my confidence in our country’s indigenous capabilities, and leaving me with a renewed sense of pride and optimism about our national potential," Modi shared in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2023Noteworthy civilians, including Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, badminton player PV Sindu, and Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, have also co-piloted the Tejas. Foreign dignitaries, such as USAF chief General David L Goldfein and French Air Force chief General André Lanata, have likewise flown the Tejas.