An Indian Air Force (IAF) sortie at the Dubai Air Show ended in tragedy when the domestically-produced Tejas fighter jet plummeted into flames during a demonstration flight. The incident occurred around 2:10 pm local time on Friday as the jet executed a low-roll before crashing about a mile from the show site.
Video footage posted on social media captured the aircraft descending rapidly and bursting into a fireball as attendees looked on in shock. Smoke billowed from the scene while emergency teams rushed to respond.
The IAF confirmed the pilot sustained fatal injuries, expressing “deep regret” and announcing a court of inquiry to determine the cause of the accident.
Commissioned in 2016, the Tejas—named for the Hindi word meaning “brilliance”—is India’s indigenous light fighter jet developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The programme has encountered delays and earlier setbacks, including a previous crash in 2024.
The crash comes on the final day of the Dubai Air Show, the Middle East’s largest aerospace exhibition, which features both flying displays and static exhibits.