India’s Gliders India Ltd (GIL), in collaboration with DRDO’s Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), successfully inducted a lightweight Hybrid Brake Parachute for the LCA Tejas fleet on December 22-24, 2025, enhancing landing safety during high-speed recoveries up to 285 km/h normally and 340 km/h in emergencies. Weighing just 10 kg with a Uni-Cross canopy (5.75 m span, 17 sq m area) and multi-stage deployment via pilot and auxiliary chutes, the system shortens landing runs on short runways and forward bases, certified by CEMILAC for rapid turnaround and minimal maintenance. From an Indian strategic perspective, this bolsters Tejas operational flexibility amid IAF modernization, reduces import dependence on critical safety gear, fortifies self-reliance under Atmanirbhar Bharat, and strengthens aerospace deterrence against regional threats.