A first: Tri-service Vice Chiefs undertake joint Tejas sortie

New Delhi/Chandigarh

The Vice Chiefs of the three armed forces undertook an “unprecedented” joint sortie in indigenously manufactured LCA Tejas fighter jets at ‘Tarang Shakti’, an ongoing multi-nation air exercise, in Jodhpur today.

Air Marshal AP Singh, Vice Chief of Air Staff, flew the lead aircraft in the formation, while Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani, Vice Chief of the Army Staff, and Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, followed in twin-seater variants flown by regular Indian Air Force pilots.

IAF officials termed it an unprecedented joint flight aimed at integrating the armed forces. The landmark flight — this is the first time the Vice Chiefs of the three services have flown together in a single formation — is a powerful testament to India’s advancing integrated defence capabilities and showcases seamless integration of the armed forces, said an officer.

This demonstrates the growing focus on cross-domain cooperation, with the armed forces working together on land, sea, and air to face contemporary challenges, said sources.

The armed forces are currently engaged in two military exercises — ‘Yudh Abhyas’, which kicked off at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Bikaner today, and ‘Tarang Shakti’ that began on September 1 nearly 300 km south of the Mahajan ranges — in Rajasthan. The US is part of both exercises.

‘Yudh Abhyas’ marks a “significant increase in the scope and complexity of the joint exercise in terms of troop strength and equipment”, said a statement. Nearly 600 personnel each from both sides are part of the exercise. The aims is to enhance joint military capability to undertake counter-terrorism operations. This will augment interoperability and camaraderie between the two forces.

The objective of ‘Tarang Shakti’ is to enhance operational coordination among friendly countries. Nearly 30 nations and 150 aircraft are part of the exercise. The inclusion of Tejas in the drill underscores the critical role indigenous platforms are playing in modernising India’s defence infrastructure. The three Vice Chiefs also interacted with the participating crew from India and abroad.