India’s home-produced Tejas fighter jet crashed at the Dubai Air Show on Friday, the Indian Air Force (IAF) said, marking the second such crash in less than two years. The fighter was flying at a low altitude at around 2:15pm (1015 GMT) before coming down in a ball of fire, according to a witness. Footage from the site showed black smoke rising behind a fenced airstrip. This is the second known crash of the fighter jet, which is powered by General Electric engines. The first crash was during an exercise in India in March 2024. In a statement on X, the Indian Air Force confirmed the death of the pilot in the incident.
An IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at [the] Dubai Air Show today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident,” the Air Force said. “IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” the IAF posted. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident.”