The Indian light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas is ready to make its debut in a multilateral air exercise in the United Arab Emirates, the Indian Air Force informed on Saturday. The IAF will participate in the exercise with five LCAs and two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
According to the officials an IAF contingent consisting of 110 air warriors reached the Al Dhafra air base in the UAE on Saturday to be a part of Exercise Desert Flag VIII. The exercise Desert Flag VIII will take place from February 27 to March 17.
The LCA Tejas will be participating in an international flying exercise outside India for the first time. Several countries like UAE, France, Kuwait, Australia, UK, Bahrain, Morocco, Spain, Republic of Korea, and the US would participate in the multilateral air exercise. It will give IAF a platform to learn from its counterparts and enhance its operational preparedness.
Tejas was scheduled to take part in the multinational air exercise Cobra Warrior 22 at Waddington in the UK from March 6 to 27, 2022. However, the exercise got canceled because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The LCA has engaged in several air shows abroad, but never joined a combat exercise in a foreign country.
The arrival of IAF contingent in the UAE is a milestone in India’s quest for being self-reliant in the defense sector, as the indigenously designed and manufactured LCA Tejas is about to showcase its capabilities to an international audience.
The LCA Tejas, which is a fourth-generation fighter aircraft, has been inducted into the IAF’s fleet and its participation in Exercise Desert Flag VIII is a testament to its capabilities. Tejas is designed and developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
The LCA Tejas is being actively promoted by the IAF as a viable option for foreign buyers, and its participation in international exercises aims to further enhance its reputation. Several countries, including Sri Lanka, Egypt, and Malaysia have already shown interest in the aircraft.Â
India feels that the aircraft holds good export potential and is in talks with Egypt and Argentina for the possible sale of the fighter plane to their air forces. The country aims towards getting a hold in foreign markets and boosting its defense exports in order to achieve the target of doing defense exports worth $5 billion by 2025.
The Indian Air Force’s participation in the multilateral exercise is marked by INS Sumedha arrival in Abu Dhabi on Friday to join the Naval Defense Exhibition along with the International Defense Exhibition of UAE. INS Sumedha belongs to the large defense delegation representing India in the events.
