Flown by Group Captain A P Singh, the aircraft covered an altitude upto 11 km and supersonic speed of Mach 1.1, DRDO said in its release.
India's first light combat aircraft is the effort of 40 laboratories, 25 academic institutions and 300 companies.
In a last-minute twist, General Electric of the US has bagged the hotly contested $800-million tender to supply 99 engines for India's Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA). After both engines in the contest -- GE's F-414 and Eurojet's EJ-200 -- were found technically suitable, the F-414 has been declared the cheaper option.
Officially named Tejas, the aircraft has undergone over 1,000 hours of test flights.
India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft is on schedule and would be comparable to frontline Mig-29 and Mirage 2000 fighters when it starts rolling out by 2011, Defence Minister A K Antony said in New Delhi on Thursday.
An important milestone for the naval programme of Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Agency, the aircraft was brought out of the hanger where it was assembled part-by-part during the rollout.
Thirty-two years after the project was sanctioned, the first indigenously-built Tejas Light Combat Aircraft was on Saturday handed over by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to the Indian Air Force, a red letter day for Indian defence and aerospace sector.
Indian Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh and Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) Chief of Staff General Takehiro Morita took off from Air Force Station Jodhpur in Tejas aircraft on Sunday during the ongoing Indo-Japan bilateral air exercise 'Veer Guardian-2026'.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh has voiced concerns over significant delays in inducting new combat jets, including the Tejas aircraft, which are impacting the Indian Air Force's depleting fighter squadron strength. He stressed the need for annual induction of 36-40 jets to address the gaps and discussed ongoing procurement plans like the MRFA deal and future strategies for combat aircraft and theatre commands.
HAL has handed over a new batch of indigenous aircraft, marking another step in India's domestic aerospace manufacturing programme. The company delivered two LCA Tejas FOC twin-seater trainers to the IAF, completing twin-seater deliveries under the FOC contract.
Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of Air Staff, has expressed significant concern over the inordinate delays in inducting new combat jets, including the indigenous Tejas aircraft, stating that these delays are severely impacting the Indian Air Force's depleting fighter squadron strength. He highlighted the need for 36-40 new fighter jets annually to address these gaps and voiced worry over Pakistan's collaboration with China on a fifth-generation fighter jet.
The 5.8-tonne twin-engine gunship chopper is armed with air-to-air missiles, 20 mm turret guns, rocket systems and other weapons.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is establishing a maintenance facility for GE Aerospace's F404-IN20 jet engines, which power the Tejas light combat aircraft, with technical support from GE Aerospace. This initiative aims to enhance India's indigenous defence capabilities and reduce reliance on overseas repair centres.
President Droupadi Murmu will fly in the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) 'Prachand' at the Jaisalmer Air Force Station. She will also attend the IAF's mega firepower demonstration 'Vayu Shakti' at the Pokhran Field Firing Range.
The political confidence required to place high-end Japanese aircraft and personnel on Indian soil is itself a data point.
It indicates a level of trust that would have been difficult to imagine when India-Japan defence ties were largely symbolic, explains Varun Arya.
Navy said the landing demonstrated India's capability to design, develop, construct and operate indigenous aircraft carrier with indigenous fighter aircraft.
The Indian Air Force's Tejas light combat jets are scheduled to return to the skies next week after being grounded for two months due to a software glitch. HAL expects to deliver over 20 Tejas Mark 1A variants by December, but delays persist due to engine supply issues.
The defence ministry said 10 helicopters will be for the Indian Air Force and five will be for the Indian Army.
It will be inducted into the IAF inventory at a ceremony in Jodhpur in presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and chief of air staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari.
Built as an expendable, short-duration turbojet engine for single-mission applications, it can power tactical cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and long-range loitering munitions.
'The aircraft is expected to be ready for rollout between January and March 2026, and to fly by the end of the year.'
India has accumulated experience organically and in public, through blood, sweat and toil -- one commissioning and one agreement at a time -- and is called a regional power. China has accumulated hulls, by misdirecting its industrial capacity, and is mistakenly called a superpower. The Indo-Japan defence agreement pushes this theory to its limits without ever naming the dragon in the room, points out Dr Abhishek Puri.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday handed over to the armed forces indigenously-developed light combat helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and electronic warfare systems for the warships, in reflection of India's focus to boost its domestic defence industry.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the "execution model" for the indigenous development of a fifth-generation deep penetration advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA) for the Indian Air Force. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will execute the programme through industry partnership, with equal opportunities for both private and public sectors. The project is a major step towards "Aatmanirbharta" (self-reliance) in the aerospace sector and is expected to cost around Rs 15,000 crore.
In its annual report to Congress on Tuesday on 'Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2025', the US Department of War said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is actively considering and planning for additional military facilities.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved procurement of long range rockets, missiles, radar systems and military platforms worth Rs 79,000 crore to bolster the military's combat prowess.
Despite a disappointing Q4 FY26 performance, many analysts remain bullish on Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) due to its substantial order book and pipeline. However, persistent supply chain issues, particularly for jet engines, and execution challenges are key factors that could impact its future stock performance and revenue growth.
The delivery of the jets are facing delays primarily due to GE Aerospace missing several deadlines for supply of its aero engines to power the jets.
On February 27, President Droupadi Murmu undertook a sortie in the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter PRACHAND at Air Force Station Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
India showcased its frontline military assets, including Brahmos and Akash missiles, at the Republic Day parade. The event also celebrated Operation Sindoor and featured a new 'Battle Array Format' for the Indian Army.
This was the first time two chiefs of the armed forces undertook a flight together.
The pilot ejected safely and a court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident, the IAF said in a brief statement.
The DRDO conducted the test in collaboration with the Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
India's indigenous fighter jet programme reached a key milestone on Friday, October 17, 2025, as the Tejas Mk1A made its maiden flight at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's Nashik facility.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced plans to modernise India's civil defence volunteer force, stating that the existing system, designed for conventional wars, is inadequate against contemporary threats targeting critical infrastructure like refineries, banks, and data centres.
HAL's order book amounts to Rs 2.45 trillion by end of Q2FY26, implying a book-to-bill ratio of 32 times based on FY25 revenue.
Private and public defence players can bid to participate in the stealth fighter development programme independently, as a joint venture, or as consortia.
The defence ministry said 98 per cent of the total procurement worth Rs 2.23 lakh crore will be sourced from the domestic industries.
The Indian Defence Ministry has approved the procurement of weapons and military hardware worth Rs 2.38 crore, including S-400 missiles and medium transport aircraft, to bolster the Indian Air Force's capabilities.
HAL executives said deliveries of the Tejas Mk1A to the IAF would begin within this year, but only after the successful completion of the weapons-firing trials currently underway.
