Air Chief Marshal AP Singh flies final Tejas sortie before retirement

IAF chief's final Tejas sortie

Air Chief Marshal AP Singh lifted off in a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk‑1 from Jodhpur airbase on Sunday, 12 October 2026. The sortie was part of the ongoing Tarang Shakti exercise and will be his last flight before he retires on 31 October, officials said.

Who piloted the aircraft and where

The chief flew the LCA’s first variant – the Mk‑1 – from Jodhpur, a key IAF training hub. The Indian Air Force currently operates 30 Mk‑1 fighters and eight trainer versions, all in various stages of operational clearance. The Tarang Shakti exercise, which concludes on Monday, involves more than 150 aircraft from eight air forces and 32 observer nations.

Significance for India's indigenous fighter programme

Singh’s flight threw a spotlight on the Mk‑1A, the next‑generation version of the Tejas that is nearing full induction. The IAF and state‑run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) both say the Mk‑1A will join the fleet by year‑end, reinforcing India’s drive for defence self‑reliance. The exercise has already logged roughly 600 sorties and about 800 flying hours, with foreign participants ranging from F‑35s and Rafales to C‑130s operating alongside Indian platforms such as Sukhoi‑30s, Jaguars and Mirage‑2000s.

What comes next for the LCA Mk‑1A

The service has placed two contracts for a total of 180 Mk‑1A fighters, valued at roughly ₹1.1 lakh crore. The first deal for 83 aircraft was signed in February 2021; a second for 97 aircraft followed in September 2025. Deliveries are expected to begin in December, though the original March 2024 deadline for the first Mk‑1A slipped due to delays in receiving GE Aerospace’s F404‑IN20 engines and certification hurdles, officials noted.

The chief’s farewell sortie not only marks the end of his tenure but also signals the IAF’s confidence in a domestically built fighter that is set to become a mainstay of India’s air defence.