Who were IAF pilots killed in jet crash in Rajasthan
What's the story
Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots were killed when their Jaguar trainer aircraft crashed during a routine training mission in Rajasthan's Churu district on Wednesday. The incident occurred near Bhanoda village around 12:30pm, Churu Superintendent of Police Jai Yadav said. The deceased have been identified as Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu (44) from Haryana's Rohtak and Flight Lieutenant Rishi Raj Singh (23) from Pali, Rajasthan.
Crash details
Court of inquiry has been constituted
The IAF confirmed that both pilots died in the accident, but no damage to civil property was reported. "An IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan," the IAF said in a statement after the crash. A court of inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the crash.
Previous incidents
Third Jaguar fighter jet crash in 2025
This is the third Jaguar fighter jet crash in 2025 alone. The first incident occurred on March 7 near Panchkula, Haryana, shortly after takeoff from Ambala airbase. The second crash took place on April 2 near Jamnagar in Gujarat, killing one pilot and injuring another. The Jaguar, a twin-engine, single-seater deep-penetration strike aircraft of Anglo-French origin, was first inducted into the IAF on July 26, 1979. The IAF currently operates six squadrons of these vintage jets.
Aircraft details
IAF aims to phase out aging aircraft by 2035
Despite multiple upgrades, the aircraft is showing indications of fatigue, prompting aviation experts to call for its phased retirement. In 2010, the IAF planned engine upgrades for its Jaguar fleet, but they were shelved due to high costs. The IAF aims to gradually phase out these aging aircraft by 2035 as it inducts modern platforms like the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft.