Tejas fighter jet crashes at Dubai Air Show; pilot dies
A HAL Tejas fighter jet from India crashed on Friday during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show. The incident took place at Al Maktoum International Airport, with images showing a plume of smoke on the airfield's far side. The pilot died in the crash, the Indian Air Force confirmed. In a post on X, the IAF said that a court of inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.
Video shows crash
Breaking @themojostory - Tejas jet crashes at Dubai Air Show - more details are awaited. Praying for pilots safety pic.twitter.com/s83exxz1Zq
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) November 21, 2025
No fuel leak: India
On Thursday, the Indian government clarified that claims circulating on social media about the Indian LCA Tejas Mk1 suffering an oil leakage at the Dubai Air Show are false. PIB's Fact Check unit said that the videos in circulation show a routine, intentional procedure and not a technical malfunction. Officials said that the online posts are "fake" and appear to be intended to raise doubt on the fighter jet's performance and reliability.
Indian contingent arrived during weekend
The Tejas Mk1 had been taking part in international airshows as part of India's efforts to showcase indigenous aviation capabilities. The Indian Air Force contingent arrived at Al Maktoum Airbase over the weekend for the airshow, which takes place from November 17 to 21, with over 100 air forces from around the world participating.
1st crash took place last year
This is the second crash involving a Tejas aircraft in less than two years. In March 2024, a Tejas fighter crashed in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer, the first such accident in the aircraft's 23-year history since its initial test flight in 2001. In that case, the pilot successfully ejected. Manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the Tejas aircraft is built for air combat and offensive air support missions.