A Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighter jet crashed while performing a manoeuvre at the final Dubai air show on Friday afternoon, killing the pilot, as the aircraft turned into a fireball after nosediving on the ground. A Court of Inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said on X while confirming the incident.
“An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,'” the IAF said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was ‘’deeply anguished’’ at the loss of a brave and courageous IAF pilot, adding that the nation stands firmly with the family in thi tragic hour.
“Deeply anguished at the loss of a brave and courageous IAF pilot during an aerial display in Dubai Air Show. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. The nation stands firmly with the family in this tragic hour,” the Defence Minister said in a statement.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan expressed ‘deep regret’ at the Tejas crash and said all ranks of the Indian Armed Forces stand firm with the bereaved family.
”General Anil Chauhan, CDS and all ranks of Indian Armed Forces deeply regret the incident in which an IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. We deeply regret the loss of life and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) said on X.
The HQ IDS reposted a tweet by the Indian Air Force earlier saying ”An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief. A court of inquiry is being constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident.”
Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi also condoled the death of the pilot. Priyanka Gandhi said “We have lost a courageous son of India, an Indian Air Force pilot, in the Tejas crash at the Dubai Air Show.”
Rahul Gandhi posted on X ‘’My heartfelt condolences to his family. The nation stands with them, honouring his courage and service.”
UAE’s Defence Ministry said in a statement “A Tejas fighter aircraft from India participating in today’s flying display at the Dubai Airshow has crashed, resulting in the tragic death of the pilot. Firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are currently managing the situation on-site.”
This is the second Tejas crash ever recorded. Earlier, a single-engine Tejas fighter jet crashed near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on March 12, 2024. The pilot ejected safely in that incident.
The Tejas jet crashed around 2:10 pm local time on Friday. It was manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Media reports said rescue operations began immediately and the show was temporarily halted. The Dubai Airshow is one of the largest airshows in the world. It started on November 17 and will conclude on November 24. More than 1,500 exhibitors are participating in the air show.
India’s Tejas fighter jet is a domestically developed, single-seat light combat aircraft, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy also operating twin-seat trainer variants.
The programme reached a key milestone in 2001 with the first test flight of Technology Demonstrator-1. While the Second Series Production Tejas in its Initial Operational Clearance configuration made its maiden flight on March 22, 2016.
Designed as a 4.5-generation multi-role platform, Tejas is built to deliver offensive air support and close-combat assistance for ground operations. It is engineered for both ground and maritime missions, reflecting an emphasis on operational versatility.
The aircraft has a maximum take-off weight of 13,300 kg and can carry up to 4,000 kg of payload. Its compact dimensions and extensive use of composite materials make it one of the smallest and lightest fighters in its class.
The IAF inducted the Tejas into frontline service in 2016, starting with No. 45 Squadron, known as the Flying Daggers.
In a boost to India’s “Make in India” defence initiative, the government in August approved the procurement of 97 Tejas Mk1A fighters for the Air Force.
According to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., the Mk1A variant incorporates upgrades aimed at improving combat performance, including an AESA radar, an advanced electronic-warfare suite with radar-warning and self-protection jamming, smart multifunction displays, a digital map generator, a combined interrogator-transponder system and a modern radio altimeter.
Several reports were circulating about “oil leakage” in Tejas Mk1. However, government on November 20 debunked the reports as fake propaganda.
“Several propaganda accounts are circulating videos claiming that at the #DubaiAirshow 2025, the Indian LCA #Tejas Mk1 suffered an oil leakage. These claims are #Fake. The videos show routine, intentional draining of condensed water from the aircraft’s Environmental Control System (ECS) and On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS). This is a standard procedure for aircraft operating in humid conditions, like those in Dubai. The false narrative is being deliberately pushed by these accounts to undermine the fighter’s proven technical reliability with baseless propaganda,” the government had said on X.
