Dubai: An Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas fighter jet participating in the flying display at the Dubai Airshow 2025 crashed on Friday afternoon, November 21, resulting in the tragic death of the pilot.
In a post on X, the Dubai Media Office (DMO) confirmed the accident, saying the aircraft went down during its demonstration and emergency teams immediately responded to the scene.
In a statement posted on X, the IAF said 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,” it added. The Air Force also announced that a court of inquiry has been initiated to determine the cause of the crash.
Thick smoke was seen rising from the crash site as firefighters worked to contain the flames while stunned spectators, including families, looked on.
The aerial segment of the show was halted, and visitors were moved back towards the exhibition halls as emergency crews worked at the site.
The single-seat Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), crashed around 2:15 pm local time.
Witnesses said the pilot was attempting a negative G-force manoeuvre but did not regain control. Negative G-force pushes the aircraft opposite to the pull of gravity — a capability Tejas is designed for — but video clips from the scene show the jet dropping almost vertically, with no glide, indicating that the recovery failed.
Earlier on Thursday, November 20, the Indian government dismissed social media claims alleging that the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1 had suffered an oil leak while on display at the Dubai Airshow 2025. Officials termed the viral posts “false” and “propaganda-driven”.
This comes months after a separate incident in March 2024, when a Tejas fighter jet crashed in Rajasthan.
