ISLAMABAD: A Light Combat Aircraft Tejas of the Indian Air Force crashedduring a display at the Dubai Airshow on Thursday, dealing a severe blow toNew Delhi’s ambitious campaign to export the indigenously developed fighter.
The single-engine jet plunged into the ground shortly after takeoff, thoughthe pilot ejected safely. The incident occurred in full view ofinternational delegates and potential buyers attending the region’s premierdefence exhibition.
Analysts described the crash as a major setback for Hindustan AeronauticsLimited (HAL), the state-owned manufacturer of the Tejas. Reuters quoteddefence experts saying the mishap has sharply undermined confidence in theaircraft among prospective foreign customers.
Several countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America had shown tentativeinterest in the Tejas as a cost-effective alternative to Western andRussian jets. Industry sources said the crash is likely to stall orcompletely halt near-term sales negotiations.
The incident has also raised fresh questions about the reliability of theplatform within the Indian Air Force itself, which has faced delays andtechnical issues with the programme for decades.
International media reports went further, terming the episode not merely anaircraft crash but a broader collapse of credibility for HAL’s exportportfolio. Other systems offered by the company are expected to faceincreased scrutiny in global markets.
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The crash comes at a particularly damaging moment for India’s defenceindustry, which has been aggressively marketing “Make in India” platformsat international airshows.
Indian officials have promised a thorough investigation but have releasedno preliminary findings so far.
Source:www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/indian-tejas-fighter-jet-crashes-dubai-airshow-2025-11-20/”>https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/indian-tejas-fighter-jet-crashes-dubai-airshow-2025-11-20/
Source:www.janes.com/defence-news/air/platforms/indian-lca-tejas-crash-casts-shadow-over-export-hopes”>https://www.janes.com/defence-news/air/platforms/indian-lca-tejas-crash-casts-shadow-over-export-hopes