The indigenous development of the Control Law (CLAW) system for India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas stands as a significant milestone in India’s defense technology journey. Former CAIR Director M. Vidyasagar recently highlighted the achievement of the CLAW team, which developed a quadruplex digital fly-by-wire flight control system integrating advanced flight control laws. The endeavor, initiated in the early 1990s and driven by leaders like Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, marked a key example of India’s capability to innovate independently in high-tech defense domains despite earlier reliance on foreign assistance. The CLAW system’s success underlines the critical need for continued investment in defense research and development to maintain and enhance India’s self-reliance in defense technology. With ongoing projects such as the LCA Mk1A, featuring over 64% indigenous components, India is reinforcing its path towards greater defense manufacturing autonomy. The development of CLAW and associated systems emphatically calls for renewed strategic funding and political will to bolster indigenous R&D, ensuring that India remains competitive against evolving regional threats and can maintain technological sovereignty in its defense sector. This reflection emerged prominently in discussions as of November 2025, amid broader moves to strengthen India’s defense industrial base.