An Indian air force Tejas fighter has crashed during the flying display on the closing day of the Dubai air show.
Video footage of the 21 November incident posted online shows the Hindustan Aeronautics-built light combat aircraft during a low-altitude pass over the Al Maktoum airport site before making a roll while descending, with insufficient altitude to recover before impacting the ground. Its pilot did not eject.
A statement from the Indian air force confirms the pilot did not survive the accident. It says it has now launched an investigation into the crash.
The Dubai Airshow also confirmed the fatal nature of the incident in a post to X on 21 November.
”The Dubai Airshow Organising Committee extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of the Indian Air Force pilot who lost his life in today’s aircraft crash. The Committee also conveys its deepest sympathies to the Indian air force,” the Dubai Media Office says.
FlightGlobal’s 2026 World Air Forces directory shows the Indian air force as having had 35 Tejas jets in operational use before the accident.
Aviation analytics company Cirium records the service as having previously lost one other example, after experiencing an engine failure during a training sortie in March 2024.
In addition to exhibiting its indigenously-developed Tejas during the 17-21 November event in Dubai, the Indian air force’s Surya Kiran aerobatic display team also took part, with its nine BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainers.
