Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet crashed during a routine training sortie near an airbase, marking yet another setback for India’s indigenous combat aircraft program and raising fresh questions about operational reliability.
The incident occurred close to the airbase perimeter while the aircraft was engaged in a standard training mission.
In a critical moment, the pilot successfully ejected from the jet and survived without reported serious injuries.
The incident has prompted the Indian Air Force to initiate a comprehensive technical review of its Tejas Mk-1 fleet. Currently, the Air Force operates 32 Tejas Mk-1 aircraft, which have been inducted in phases and assigned operational responsibilities.
In this regard, this latest crash marks the third major accident involving the Tejas platform within the past two years. In 2024, a Tejas jet went down in the Indian state of Rajasthan.
The Indian Air Force has constituted a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the precise cause of the crash.
Meanwhile, social media platforms have witnessed a wave of public reaction.
So far, the investigations move forward, attention now turns to what the findings may reveal and whether this incident signals a temporary setback or a more complex challenge for India’s evolving air power strategy.
