Tejas Fighter Jet Crash: A tragic crash involving the Tejas fighter jet during the Dubai Air Show 2025 has left one pilot feared dead. The aircraft burst into flames mid-demonstration, with dramatic visuals surfacing online. Investigations underway.
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| Dramatic Videos Capture Tejas Fighter Jet Crash In Dubai Air Show, Pilot Dies | Image: Republic |
New Delhi: A Tejas fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show on Friday afternoon, killing the pilot. The indigenous HAL-built aircraft went down around 2:10 pm local time while executing an aerial manoeuvre, sending thick black smoke into the sky near the airport and causing panic among spectators.
In an official statement, the Indian Air Force confirmed the pilot’s death, 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.”
Preliminary assessments and video footage indicate the pilot was unable to eject, as no parachute deployment or ejection seat activation was visible. Experts believe the low altitude below 500 feet made ejection impossible.
Footage from the event shows the Tejas entering a steep climb or roll before abruptly stalling and descending uncontrollably. The aircraft nosedived into the ground and exploded into a fireball, followed by intense flames and smoke. Emergency response teams, including firefighters, quickly reached the site and extinguished the blaze using water jets.
Tejas Crash | A Tejas crashed during a low-altitude manoeuvre at an air show in Dubai. Pilots succumbs to fatal injuries.
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Caught on Cam: Seconds Before Tejas Nosedives
Tejas Crash Caught on Camera | Exact moment when the aircraft turned into a fireball.
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The city-state’s second airport was hosting the biennial Dubai Air Show, which has seen major aircraft orders by both the long-haul carrier Emirates and its lower-cost sister airline FlyDubai.
Friday marked the last day of the weeklong air show, and many families had come to a grandstand area of the airport to watch the display.
“Firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are currently managing the situation on-site,” the Dubai Media Office, which responds to crises in the sheikhdom, said on X. It shared an image of firefighters spraying debris.
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| Official footage from the fatal Tejas crash site. |
CDS General Anil Chauhan also expressed regret at the loss of life during the accident. "General Anil Chauhan, CDS, and all ranks of the Indian Armed Forces deeply regret the incident in which an IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at the 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 said in its statement.
Second Crash in Two Years
The latest crash of a Tejas fighter jet at the Dubai Air Show has drawn sharp attention, marking the second accident involving the indigenous aircraft in less than two years. In March 2024, a Tejas fighter went down in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer, the first crash in the aircraft’s 23-year history since its maiden test flight in 2001. The pilot ejected safely in that incident.
Tejas Crash | GRP Captain DK Pandey and Air Marshall RGK Kapoor join Republic to provide expert insights.
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Earlier in September, India’s Defence Ministry signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, or HAL, to procure 97 Tejas jets for the air force. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2027.
The Indian government also signed a deal with HAL in 2021 for 83 Tejas aircraft. Deliveries, expected last year, have been delayed largely because of shortages of engines that must be imported from the United States.
On Thursday, India’s Press Information Bureau also rejected some social media claims alleging that a Tejas aircraft had experienced an oil leak while on display at the air show. In a statement on X, it called the posts “false” and said they were attempts to undermine the “fighter’s proven technical reliability with baseless propaganda.”
Tejas’ Debut over Kartavya Path
Back in 2017, Tejas made its maiden appearance in the Republic Day flypast, leading the fleet of fighter aircraft after a hiatus of two decades since Marut's participation in the 1980s and 90s.
The lightweight, supersonic, multi-role single-seat fighter, led by Group Captain Madhav Rangachari, flew in 'Vic' formation, highlighting its agility and prowess. Inducted into the Indian Air Force's 45 Squadron 'Flying Daggers' in July of the previous year, Tejas marked a significant milestone in India's pursuit of indigenous defence capabilities.
India's Strategem with Tejas
Also, last year, PM Modi took a sortie in the LCA, becoming the first prime minister to do so. Tejas is India’s first completely indigenously designed and developed aircraft, and the genesis of the Tejas project dates back to the 80s, with its first flight during PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure in 2001. However, it took another 15 years to get its initial operational clearance.
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| PM Modi took a sortie in the LCA, becoming the first prime minister to do so. Tejas is India’s first completely indigenously designed and developed aircraft. |
Courtesy: R.
