A Tejas fighter jet crashed on Friday afternoon during a flying demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, sending up a thick cloud of black smoke near Al Maktoum International Airport as visitors watched in shock. The aircraft, a single-seat Light Combat Aircraft developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, went down at around 2:10 pm local time. Eyewitness videos circulated soon after, but officials have not yet confirmed the pilot’s condition or whether the pilot managed to eject. The Indian Air Force has not released a statement so far.
The accident took place during the Dubai Air Show, one of the world’s biggest aviation exhibitions, where major deals were announced this week, including large aircraft orders from Emirates and FlyDubai. The crash is the second involving a Tejas jet in less than two years. The first happened in March 2024 in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer, when a Tejas went down for the first time since the aircraft’s maiden test flight in 2001. In that case, the pilot had ejected safely.
The Tejas is a 4.5-generation, multi-role combat aircraft designed for air-defence missions, offensive support, and close-combat operations. It is known for being one of the smallest and lightest fighters in its category. One of its important safety features is the Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat, which allows a pilot to eject safely even at zero speed and zero altitude. The system blasts the canopy off, pushes the pilot clear of the aircraft, and deploys parachutes immediately.
People at the air show saw the aircraft performing its routine moments before it lost altitude and plunged downward. Videos showed the jet descending rapidly before a large plume of smoke rose into the sky. Many spectators gasped and rushed from the viewing areas after the crash.
The Tejas programme is a crucial part of India’s push to modernise its fighter fleet and reduce dependence on foreign aircraft. The first Tejas squadron, called the Flying Daggers, joined the Indian Air Force in 2016.
