Visit Aero India today and salute the Light Combat Aircraft

When five of India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCAs) flew together for the first time at the Aero India on February 9, spectators whistled and clapped like children who had just witnessed a magic show.

Commendable, considering that the spectators were actually not children but adults, that too comprising of defence experts, officials from various private and government firms, celebrities as well as media persons.

Commendable, because just a few months before this day, criticism was flying thick and fast about the LCA Tejas programme being obsolete and that it was nothing more than a white
elephant.

Come to think of it, there is nothing surprising in the way spectators reacted to seeing five Tejas aircraft flying together. It is the Indian way of reacting to government programmes — especially military ones — and then describing goose pimples, each filled with national pride and accompanied by a hint of moistening in the corner of the eyes.

One can’t dismiss Indians as non-patriotic; only that it comes the hard way. There’s a severe bout of cynicism, and that is followed by a burst of national pride. It waxes and wanes, so it depends on when and what mood you catch that Indian in to assess whether he or she is patriotic or not.

Belonging to a democratic republic, every citizen has the right to question government projects. After all, each one of us is paying to see projects bear fruits, and sweet as we expect them to be.

Probably, the Tejas programme is not exhibiting that sweetness that was promised two decades ago when scientists and officials of the defence ministry announced that the smallest and the lightest fighter aircraft in the world would be an all-indigenous effort.

But it was not to be. And people took that chance to bombard the aircraft even before it had taken to the skies n January 2001.
The bombardment continues even till date; only that it has softened after seeing the aircraft fly in Aero India after Aero India every two years since 2001.

Despite that, and having covered the sixth air show, I admit I couldn’t help getting those goose pimples when I saw the Tejas doing aerobatics manoeuvres just as impressively, if not better than, Lockheed Martin’s F-16 IN Super Viper, F/A 18 Super Hornet, Gripen’s JAS-39, French Dassault’s Rafael, or Eurofighter Typhoon. And to tell you the truth, I could not help seeing that teary pride in some media persons when five Tejas aircrafts took to the skies on the opening day of Aero India 2011. It was a moment of pride… genuine national pride.

Forget about LCA Tejas’ indigenous component coming down to 65 per cent-70 per cent. It doesn’t matter because if you see among the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) contenders, the Eurofighter Typhoon is a joint collaboration of four countries, not just one like India initially set out to do with the LCA.

So, if and when you see Tejas blazing across the skies over Bangalore today as part of Aero India 2011, give it its worth and enjoy that moment of national pride.

Wish it many, many happy landings after it shortly joins the IAF squadrons!  Here’s to you, LCA Tejas!