Thousands braved the December chill and waited past midnight to give a rousing welcome to Argentine superstar footballer Lionel Messi as he arrived in Kolkata for his whirlwind three-day, four-city GOAT India Tour 2025. The Barcelona legend's 2.26 am touchdown in the early hours of Saturday sent the city into a frenzy. Gate 4 of the international arrivals turned into a roaring sea of chants, flags and flashing phones, with fans sprinting between gates for even a fleeting glimpse of their favourite sports star. VIDEO | West Bengal: Argentine footballer Lionel Messi arrived at Kolkata Airport accompanied by Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul. (Source: Third Party) #LionelMessi (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7 ) pic.twitter.com/nNVfGvfpnX — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 12, 2025 Children perched on shoulders and drums rolled as Messi was whisked out through the VIP gate under massive security. #WATCH | West Bengal | Star footballer Lio...
The Indian Air Force is expected to get deliveries of upgraded Light Combat Aircraft Tejas MK-1A from February next year, and the new variant of the indigenously-built jet will be capable of firing a plethora of weapons, including beyond visual range missiles, the Ministry of Defence said today. As the jet completes seven years in service in the IAF, the ministry said the aircraft and its future variants will form the mainstay of the Indian Air Force (IAF). In February 2021, the ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments. Egypt, Argentina, the US, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines are among the countries showing keen interest in procuring Tejas aircraft. On Saturday, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) will complete seven years of service in the IAF. ...