First indigenous aircraft to fly in Indian sky was the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)-made HF-24 Marut. It was an Indian first-bomber aircraft of the 1960s and was the first jet aircraft which took first flight on 17th June 1961. Developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited under assistance of famous aircraft designer Kurt Tank of Germany the HF (Hindustan Fighter) 24 Marut took part in battle of Longewala along with Hawker Hunter. A total of 147 aircraft were built, including 18 two-seat trainers. Then came the Gnat which proved its mettle during the 1971 war taking the much powerful Sabre jets of Pakistan Air Force. The aircraft played a stellar role during the war and has been credited with saving Srinagar Airport from Pakistan Air Force when Flt Lt Nirmaljit Singh Sekhon sacrificed his life. Gnat continued in service for some more time as local interdiction aircraft. The induction of Tejas is a watermark in the history of the India Air Force getting the indigenously developed technology jump. Thirty-three-years in making the indigenous LCA’s induction into service by the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar is a bold step and carrying forward the philosophy of ‘Make in India ‘ a success story. Tejas comes into Air Force at a time when India was scouting for an intermediate fighter to replace its age-old MiG 21s and MiG 27s. Reduced to 33 squadrons from the much needed operational strength of 44 squadrons Air Force has been frantically looking for a fighter capable of carrying forward its security agenda. In this race were Grippen from Sweden, Rafel from France and Raptor from US but the high cost and technology transfer glitch by some of the manufacturers who had reached the last step of negotiations forced India to take such a bold step. The move to induct indigenously made aircraft would no doubt spurt the much needed momentum for the development of such technologies within the country thus helping in reducing the import components. With India signing missile technology transfer treaty now it would be within the reach to reignite the stalled engine technology post-Pokhran nuclear test.
