Tejas Turns 25: The Future of Indian Aviation Unveiled

As the LCA Tejas celebrates 25 years, India's focus shifts to the next aircraft generation—LCA Mk II and AMCA—aiming to integrate cutting-edge technologies. A seminar in Bengaluru discussed milestones and explored future developments in India's fighter aviation, highlighting the drive for indigenous advancements in defense capabilities.

With the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas celebrating a quarter-century in the skies, attention is pivoting towards newer horizons in Indian aviation: the development of LCA Mk II and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). This shift in focus, emphasized by DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat, was articulated during the 'Aeronautics 2047' seminar in Bengaluru this weekend. Kamat highlighted the significant achievements of the Tejas program, setting the stage for the future of indigenous aviation.

He further elaborated on the promising developments lined up for the LCA Mk II and AMCA, programs that are progressing on schedule. The AMCA, envisioned as a fifth-generation, stealth-capable fighter, will integrate several groundbreaking technologies. The event, hosted at the Centre for Airborne Systems, also commemorated Tejas's legacy while paving the way towards realizing India's vision for advanced indigenous aviation by 2047.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh, lauded the ADA's role in transforming India's defense aviation landscape. He underscored the necessity of meeting delivery targets to ensure the Indian Air Force remains strategically equipped. With the integration of technologies such as carbon composites and fly-by-wire flight control systems, the Tejas has successfully completed over 5,600 flight trials, firmly positioning India on the defense aviation map. The seminar witnessed robust participation from diverse sectors, focusing on innovations that promise to spearhead the next chapter in Indian aerospace ambitions.