The Tejas fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed during an air display at the Dubai Airshow on Friday (21 November 2025), killing the pilot. IAF has constituted a court of inquiry to find out the causes of the accident. Pakistani media wrote about this accident that India’s Tejas fighter jet suddenly came down and after hitting the ground turned into a ball of fire.

Pakistani media raised questions on design of Tejas

Pakistani newspaper Dawn has raised questions on the design of Tejas. Dawn wrote, “India’s indigenous fighter jet was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2016. This fighter jet is under question due to design and other reasons. The Tejas MK-1A fighter aircraft is important to strengthen the declining squadrons of the Indian Air Force. Apart from this, in view of the support India’s arch rival Pakistan is getting from China, India is replacing its old aircraft.”

A part of the airspace was closed

The incident occurred when Tejas was flying for scheduled aerobatic practice. The reasons for the accident have not been confirmed yet. The investigation team will conduct a detailed study of every technical, operational and safety aspect of the flight so that the real reasons can be confirmed. After the accident, a part of the airspace was temporarily closed to control the situation.

Tejas is a light multi-role combat fighter aircraft

Tejas is India’s indigenously developed light multi-role combat fighter aircraft. It has been designed and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Its presence in the Dubai Air Show-2025 was considered an important opportunity to showcase India’s aerospace capabilities on the global stage. The detailed cause of the accident will become clear only after technical investigation. Expert team will study the technical data.

Also read: Major accident in Dubai Airshow, India’s Tejas fighter jet crashes, pilot dies, video surfaced