Bengaluru, Feb 5 (IANS): Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Thursday flew in a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) built by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited on the second day of the three-day Aero India 2021 here.

In the 30-minute sortie that took off from the Yelahnaka airbase, Surya flew in the LCA as a co-pilot. After the sortie, Surya said that he was extremely delighted to get an opportunity to fly in this wonderful fighter jet.

On the first day of the air show, Bengaluru-based defence PSU HAL had signed a deal worth Rs 48,000 crore to supply 83 Tejas MK1A to the Indian Air Force.

"The LCA Tejas is Bengaluru's gift to India. The HAL deal shows the belief that the Narendra Modi-led government has in the scientific calibre of Indian engineers and companies," he said.

Surya added that the induction of LCA will not only boost the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' mission but also help India become a larger global exporter in the field of defence.

According to Surya, the Tejas order will take the industrial base in Bengaluru to greater heights besides generating employment.

"We are grateful to Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the late Manohar Parrikar for their support in getting Tejas up in the air. We must also actively pursue the export markets and make Tejas a world-class brand," he said.

The Cabinet Committee on Security had cleared the Rs 48,000 crore deal for 83 LCA aircraft on January 13, and the contract was formally handed over to HAL CMD R. Madhavan on Wednesday.

During the 12the edition of Aero India in February 2019, then army chief General Bipin Rawat and badminton star P.V. Sindhu had flown in an LCA fighter jet. In September 2019, Rajnath Singh had flown in an LCA in Bengaluru.