In an effort to showcase the growing defence manufacturing capabilities, India has sent three indigenously designed and manufactured Tejas light combat aircraft for the prestigious Singapore Air Show.

Giving details here on Saturday, IAF officials said Tejas aircraft have reached Changi International Airport in Singapore to participate in the ‘Singapore Air Show-2022’. The Air Show will be held from February 15 to 18.  Singapore Air Show is a biennial event which provides a platform for the global aviation industry to showcase their products.

The upcoming Tejas aerobatic display comes days after India and the Philippines inked the biggest and first ever export deal for Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles.  The deal is worth over 337 million dollars.

India is aiming at exporting defence equipment worth over five billion dollars by 2024.

The IAF will be pitching the indigenous Tejas MK-I alongside participants from across the world. The Tejas aircraft will be enthralling the audience with its display of low-level aerobatics displaying its superior handling characteristics and maneuverability, officials said.

The participation of IAF in the Air Show provides India with the opportunity to showcase the Tejas aircraft and to interact with counterparts from RSAF (Royal Singapore Air Force) and other participating contingents.

In the past, Indian Air Force had participated in similar Air Shows like LIMA-2019 in Malaysia and Dubai Air Show-2021 to exhibit indigenous aircraft and formation aerobatic teams.

Giving a push to the export endeavour, the Union Cabinet in 2020 gave its go-ahead to the sale of Akash missile systems to friendly foreign countries and created a high-powered panel for swifter approval to export of military hardware.

The committee to speed up exports has the defence minister, external affairs minister and the national security advisor on board. Several foreign countries have shown interest in the Akash missile system during international and local defence exhibitions.

Apart from authorising the export of defence platforms, the mandate of the committee is to explore opportunities for the government-to-government sale of military hardware to foreign countries.

The defence ministry awarded a ?48,000-crore contract to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL)last year for 83 LCA Mk-1A jets for IAF. The first Mk-1A aircraft will be delivered to the air force by March 2024, with the rest slated to join its combat fleet by 2029.