IAF Chief: Tejas jet close to heart, need to focus on 5th-gen fighters

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, the new Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF), emphasised the importance of advancing indigenous fighter aircraft programmes, particularly the Tejas.

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said he has been associated with the Tejas programme from the flight testing and it is very close to his heart.

At the National War Memorial near India Gate, before the wreath laying ceremony, the Air Chief Marshal touched the feet of his mother, Pushwant Kaur.

He highlighted the IAF’s commitment to indigenous projects, noting that the Air Force has already placed an order for 83 Tejas Mark-1A aircraft and is in the process of ordering 97 more. The focus is now on developing the Tejas Mark-2 and advancing the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programmes.

One of the key challenges ahead of him is fostering collaboration between the Army, Navy, and Air Force, while continuing his push for indigenisation. Air Chief Marshal Singh is also known for his recent participation in the multi-nation exercise Tarang Shakti in Jodhpur.