'Reminds me of Mirage 2000': French Air General lauds India’s indigenous fighter Tejas

France's Air Defence Deputy Commander General Julien Sabéné has praised India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, saying the fighter reminded him of the Mirage 2000 he flew during his active career, while highlighting growing operational interoperability between the Indian and French air forces.

Sabéné, a former Mirage 2000 fighter pilot, made the remarks during Exercise Tarang Shakti at Jodhpur, where French Rafales are operating alongside Indian fighters and aircraft from several other countries. France's participation in the exercise is part of its long-range PÉGASE 26 deployment, which is taking French air assets across several regions between September and October.

Tejas draws comparison

Speaking about his experience of seeing the Tejas operate during the exercise, Sabéné said the Indian fighter brought back memories of the Mirage 2000, the French-built delta-wing aircraft he had flown as an active fighter pilot.

“The Tejas, it's new. I like it because it reminds me of the Mirage 2000,” he said.

Sabéné also praised India's efforts to build sovereign capabilities in combat aviation, drawing a parallel between the emphasis India and France place on strategic autonomy.

He said it was significant that India had developed and was operating its own fighter aircraft, while stressing that exercises such as Tarang Shakti allowed aircrews to understand each other's platforms, procedures and operational practices.

Focus on interoperability

The French officer said the interaction between the aircraft participating in the exercise had been encouraging, but added that interoperability extended beyond simply flying different fighters together.

For the two air forces, a major objective is to ensure that pilots, tankers, transport aircraft and support systems can work together during complex missions.

Sabéné said Indian and French crews had demonstrated their ability to conduct cross-refuelling operations. French aircraft could refuel from Indian tankers and vice versa, providing an important test of the ability of the two forces to operate together during extended missions.

He cited a sortie in which he flew as an observer aboard an A400M involved in air-to-air refuelling operations for Rafales, saying the operation worked smoothly.

The French contingent at Tarang Shakti includes Rafale fighters as well as MRTT aerial refuelling aircraft and A400M transport aircraft.

Rafale experience shared

The presence of Rafales in both inventories provides another layer to India-France air cooperation. The Indian Air Force operates 36 Rafales acquired from France, while the two countries have continued expanding their defence aviation partnership.

Sabéné said the fact that both air forces had operational experience with the Rafale created opportunities to exchange lessons and best practices during a large-force exercise.

“The Indian Air Force has flown the Rafale in combat and so have we,” he said, adding that lessons drawn from operational deployments were particularly valuable when forces trained together.

India and France have also expanded cooperation beyond the IAF's Rafale fleet. The two governments have highlighted collaboration in fighter aircraft manufacturing, combat aircraft engines and the procurement of 26 Rafale-Marine fighters for the Indian Navy.

Relationship goes back decades

Sabéné pointed to the long history of French-origin aircraft in Indian service, tracing the relationship to India's acquisition of the Dassault Ouragan in the early 1950s.

The IAF subsequently operated other French platforms, including the Mystère and Mirage 2000, before inducting the Rafale. The Mirage 2000 remains one of the IAF's established combat platforms and has undergone upgrades to extend its operational relevance.

Tejas represents a different phase in India's combat aviation programme. Developed domestically, the light fighter is central to efforts to increase the indigenous share of the IAF's combat fleet.

The aircraft has also been increasingly deployed in international and bilateral exercises, giving foreign air forces greater exposure to India's home-grown fighter. The IAF had deployed the Tejas alongside the Su-30MKI and Rafale during Exercise Veer Guardian 2026 with Japan at Jodhpur in September.

Tarang Shakti at Jodhpur

Exercise Tarang Shakti is being held in Jodhpur from September 26 to October 12 and has brought together aircraft and personnel from several partner air forces.

The participating foreign aircraft include platforms such as the F-35 Lightning II, Rafale, F-16, A400M, MRTT, C-130, C-130J and KC-30A, providing crews with experience of operating alongside different combat, transport and aerial-refuelling systems.

For France, the exercise forms an important stop during PÉGASE 26, its seventh long-range air deployment since the initiative began in 2018.

The French Air and Space Force said PÉGASE 26 runs from September 8 to October 15 and covers more than 40,000 km, with stops stretching from Greenland and North America to Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, India and West Asia. France has described Tarang Shakti as an opportunity to deepen interoperability and military cooperation with India.

‘Highlight’ of French deployment

Sabéné described the Indian leg as the “highlight” of PÉGASE 26, saying the multinational character and scale of Tarang Shakti provided valuable preparation for future operations.

He also highlighted the diversity of the Indian Air Force's inventory, saying operating alongside different aircraft offered opportunities for learning.

For India, the exercise provides a similar opportunity to test the Tejas alongside several foreign fighters and expose its pilots, engineers and mission planners to different operating concepts.

Sabéné's comparison of the Tejas with the Mirage 2000 therefore came amid a broader emphasis on practical cooperation. From a relationship that began with French fighters entering Indian service more than seven decades ago, India and France are increasingly focusing on interoperability, joint training and defence manufacturing as the next stage of their aviation partnership.