Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh (R), and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi react upon landing after taking a sortie aboard a Tejas aircraft ahead of the ‘Aero India 2025’ at the Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bengaluru, Karnataka on February 9, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Two former course mates of the National Defence Academy (NDA) created history as they flew together on India’s fighter jet, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas on the eve of Aero India 2025.
Air Chief Marshal A. P. Singh and Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, who were course mates at the NDA many years ago, took off on Tejas trainer aircraft from the Air Force Station, Yelahanka and landed a few minutes later upon completion of the successful sortie.
This was the first time two service chiefs of the Indian armed forces were onboard a military jet. General Dwivedi termed the flight the best moment of his life.
Former Chief of the Army Staff General Bipin Rawat who later became India’s first Chief of Defence Staff was also flown in the trainer version of the Tejas during Aero India 2019.
Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi aboard a Tejas aircraft take off for a sortie ahead of the ‘Aero India 2025’ at the Yelahanka Air Force Station on February 9, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
PTI
The performance by the top brasses was the prelude to the biannual event, which commences on Monday (February 10, 2025) and will continue till February 14.
All eyes were glued to the sky as the Air Chief Marshal flew the metal bird with the Army Chief.
Stating that he enjoyed the sortie as it carried a great challenge, the Army Chief said, “I am very much grateful to the IAF and I must admire the kind of a challenge the pilots of the IAF take and it takes a great synergetic approach from all of us and I am sure that it is a good start for the Aero India-2025.”
LCA Tejas is an Indian combat aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy.
(With PTI inputs)
Published – February 09, 2025 06:17 pm IST