Indian Tejas fighter jet crashes at Dubai airshow, pilot killed

International Desk

An Indian-made Tejas fighter jet crashed at the Dubai Airshow, killing its pilot, the second recorded accident involving the jet, which was developed as part of India’s modernization efforts.

The plane crashed into the ground in a low-altitude spin during an airshow at Dubai World Central shortly after 2pm local time (10:00 GMT) on Friday, the final day of the show, which was being held at the site of thousands of spectators.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) said on social media that the pilot had died of “critical injuries”. The IAF also said that a formal investigation would be launched to determine the cause of the accident. “We are deeply saddened by this irreparable loss and stand with the family,” the statement said.

Images published in Indian media showed the Tejas jet completely engulfed in flames and billowing black smoke. A witness told Reuters the plane suddenly descended rapidly and exploded like a fireball.

Sirens sounded throughout Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport. The Dubai Media Office issued a statement immediately after the incident, describing the pilot’s death as “tragic” and saying that fire crews quickly arrived and brought the situation under control.

The airshow resumed less than two hours after the crash site was cleared.

The Tejas fighter jet, built by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, is a symbolic milestone in the Indian Air Force’s efforts to modernize the country. It is considered a strategic asset for India, especially in the context of China’s military assistance to Pakistan.

The Dubai accident is another major setback for the Indian Air Force in recent months.

The India-Pakistan border has been in its most intense fighting in decades since the attack on tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam in May, with both countries using fighter jets and cruise missiles. Pakistan claimed to have shot down at least five Indian jets. India initially dismissed the claims as “misinformation”, but in June a top Indian general admitted that some IAF aircraft had indeed been lost.

US President Donald Trump also said in July that “four or five, I think five” Indian jets had been shot down.

The US-China Security Commission report, which was later submitted to the US Congress, said that the widespread use of Chinese weapons in this conflict was clear. The report noted that 80 percent of Pakistan’s arms imports from 2019 to 2023 came from China.

Earlier in March, another Tejas jet crashed during a test flight in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was the first recorded accident of the aircraft, and the pilot survived.