In pics: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat praises Tejas fighter jet at 2019 Aero India show

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat took to the skies in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas at the Aero India show in Bengaluru on February 21. He described the fighter jet as a "wonderful aircraft" that will add power to the country's defence prowess. (Image: PTI)

General Rawat joined the pilot in a two-seater trainer variant of the Tejas, a day after the HAL-made fighter jet received the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) at the air show, signalling it was combat ready. (Image: PTI)

After a 30-minute flight, General Rawat called the sortie "an experience of a lifetime". (Image: PTI)

Talking about the jet, he said the avionics in Tejas was good and "it is a wonderful aircraft". He noted that the LCA's targeting system was good. "If it gets added to the inventory, it will add to air power," he was quoted as saying. (Image: PTI)

Initial Operational Clearance for the aircraft was given in 2013 and IOC standard Aircraft were inducted into IAF's No 45 Squadron in July 2016. The IAF squadron has since conducted over 1,500 sorties successfully. (Image: PTI)