Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, in a interview on January 6, 2026, commended the LCA Navy program’s pivotal role as a technology demonstrator, validating critical STOBAR operations, reinforced landing gear, and carrier expertise now fueling the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) development. Key dates include the program’s legacy from 2010s trials and TEDBF’s Critical Design Review targeted for late 2026, with prototypes leveraging indigenous avionics shared with AMCA. Aimed at replacing MiG-29K fighters on INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya by 2032, TEDBF bolsters Atmanirbhar Bharat, enhancing India’s maritime strike and air defense amid Indo-Pacific tensions with China, ensuring self-reliant naval superiority.