← 21 October 2026's Current Affairs · Defence GA Prelims ★★★☆☆ Mains ★★☆☆☆
IAF chief flies his last sortie on the HJT-16 Kiran trainer
Why in News?
The IAF chief's farewell flight was in a HAL-built trainer: the defence-indigenisation fact GS-III expects you to know
ACM A.P. Singh has flown his last sortie in the HAL-built Kiran Mk-1 trainer.
Why it matters: general awareness
What you need to know
2 min read
Air Chief Marshal A.P.
Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, completed his final sortie in the HJT-16 Kiran Mk-1 trainer on 20 October 2026.
The Kiran is a jet trainer designed and built in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
It has been used for intermediate training of fighter pilots.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, flew his final sortie in the HJT-16 Kiran Mk-1 on 20 October 2026.
- The HJT-16 Kiran is a jet trainer designed and built in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
- The Kiran Mk-1 has been used for intermediate-stage training of IAF fighter pilots.
- HAL is a Defence Public Sector Undertaking headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- The HJT-16 Kiran is an indigenously designed and built jet trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
- The Kiran is used for intermediate-stage training of fighter pilots, between basic and advanced training.
- Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the manufacturer of the Kiran, is a Defence PSU headquartered in Bengaluru.
Mains
GS-III (Defence, indigenisation): the Kiran shows India's long record of designing and building its own trainer aircraft through HAL. The policy backdrop is Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence, with its emphasis on domestic design, development and manufacture. Way forward: sustain pilot-training pipelines with indigenous trainers, strengthen HAL's design capability and ensure timely delivery of platforms.
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