New Delhi: A Tejas crashed Friday during a flying demonstration at Dubai Airshow 2025, killing the pilot in the second such incident involving the indigenous fighter aircraft.
In March last year, a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas had crashed into a hostel in the outskirts of Jaisalmer while on its way back from India’s maiden ‘Bharat Shakti’ exercise in nearby Pokhran. But the lone pilot had ejected safely.
The fighter aircraft that crashed in Dubai was from the Naliya air base and was one of the 38 Tejas Mark 1 delivered to the Indian Air Force (IAF). Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is yet to deliver any Tejas Mark 1A.
Visuals showed the Tejas undertaking a manoeuvre in front of a large crowd at Al Maktoum International Airport before it plummeted to the ground and burst into a ball of flames.
The IAF confirmed that the pilot was killed in the crash. “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,” the air force’s official handle posted on X.
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…
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) November 21, 2025
The Government of Dubai Media Office’s X account, too, confirmed the fatality and added that firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are currently managing the situation on-site.
It is learnt that the aircraft had reached three days before the air show began 17 November.
This is a developing story.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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