Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya took a sortie on the HTT-40, India's indigenous basic trainer aircraft developed by HAL, at Aero India 2025. The HTT-40 is a fully aerobatic aircraft powered by a four-bladed turbo-prop engine and equipped with a state-of-the-art glass cockpit and the latest safety features, including a zero-zero ejection seat.

Surya said that flying the HTT-40 was an incredible experience and a testament to India’s engineering excellence. He added that the aircraft is a shining example of how, with the right policy and support, Indian scientists and engineers can achieve anything.

He dedicated this achievement to the late Shri Manohar Parrikar, whose vision for self-reliance in defence was instrumental in reviving the indigenous trainer program, which was first inaugurated by him under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi.

According to Surya, the HTT-40 represents India’s journey from scandal to self-reliance and from foreign dependency to Atmanirbharta. He also noted that several nations, particularly from the Global South, are showing interest in acquiring Indian-made fighter jets, now that HAL is producing low-cost, high-performance combat aircraft.

PTI