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Indian Air Force Marks 25 Years Since Tejas LCA Maiden Flight on 4 January
On 4 January 2026, the Indian Air Force commemorates the 25th anniversary of the maiden flight of the indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). The event highlights the Tejas programme milestones, including the first flight on 4 January 2001 and recent Tejas Mk-1A production and procurement developments.
Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Programme:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Programme launch | Tejas LCA programme was launched in 1983 by the Government of India. |
| Stated objective | Provides for replacing the Indian Air Force’s ageing and obsolete fighter aircraft fleet with a modern, lightweight, multi-role combat aircraft designed and built in India. |
| Maiden flight date | 4 January 2001. |
| Maiden flight platform | Technology Demonstrator-1 (TD-1) aircraft successfully flies. |
| Test pilot | Wing Commander Rajiv Kothiyal. |
| Maiden flight location | Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport, Bengaluru, Karnataka. |
| Post-maiden-flight process | Extensive flight testing and evaluation phase, comprising operational clearance, gradual induction into IAF squadrons, and continuous upgrades based on operational feedback. |
| Variant mentioned | Tejas Mk-1A. |
| Tejas Mk-1A features | Improved avionics, enhanced radar and electronic warfare systems, and better maintainability and operational availability. |
| Procurement | HAL secured an order for 97 additional Tejas Mk-1A aircraft valued at over ₹62,370 crore. |
| Private industry collaboration | VEM Technologies delivered the first centre fuselage assembly for Tejas Mk-1A to HAL in May 2025 in Hyderabad, Telangana; the second centre fuselage assembly was handed over in September 2025. |