Pilot Dies as Indian Tejas Fighter Jet Crashes During Dubai Air Show Display

A pilot was killed on Friday when an Indian-made Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerial demonstration at the Dubai Air Show.

The single-engine aircraft went down at about 2:15 p.m. (1015 GMT) while flying at low altitude over the Al Maktoum International Airport display area. Witnesses reported seeing the jet burst into a fireball as it hit the ground, with thick black smoke rising from the crash site.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) confirmed the death of the pilot and said a court of inquiry would investigate the cause of the accident. Footage from the scene showed emergency teams responding promptly as the area was cordoned off.

This is the second recorded crash involving the Tejas, a 4.5-generation fighter jet developed by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and powered by General Electric engines. The first incident occurred during a training exercise in India in 2024.

The homegrown fighter, whose name means “brilliance” in Sanskrit, plays a key role in India’s push to modernise its predominantly Russian-built air fleet. The IAF plans to deploy nearly 220 Tejas Mk-1 and Mk-1A variants over the next decade.

The crash happened on the final day of the Dubai Air Show, the Middle East’s largest aviation event, which began on Monday. Flying later resumed at the venue as other aircraft returned to the skies.

The UAE aviation authority has not yet commented on whether it would lead a local probe, but the Indian embassy said it was coordinating with Emirati officials. GE also stated it was ready to support the investigation.

The Tejas programme, first conceived more than four decades ago, has faced delays partly due to pandemic-related engine supply shortages. Defence analysts say export interest remains limited but note that work on an upgraded Tejas Mark II is ongoing.

Friday’s incident marks the first fatal crash recorded at the world’s third-largest airshow after Paris and Farnborough, where strict safety protocols have significantly reduced accidents in recent decades.