ISLAMABAD: A devastating incident unfolded at the Dubai Airshow 2025 onNovember 21, when an Indian Air Force Tejas LCA Mk.1 light combat aircraft,serial number LA-5026, plummeted to the ground during a high-stakesdemonstration at Al Maktoum International Airport. The pilot, WingCommander Namansh Syal, perished in the crash, marking a somber end to thebiennial aviation extravaganza attended by global defense enthusiasts andindustry leaders.
Close-up footage of the mishap, captured by spectators and quicklydisseminated across social media, depicted the aircraft’s sudden loss ofcontrol amid aggressive negative-G maneuvers. Analysis indicates Syalexperienced a critical “red-out,” a physiological blackout caused by bloodrushing to the head under extreme gravitational forces. Despite his valiantefforts, the seasoned aviator could not recover the jet, which nosedivedand erupted into flames upon impact, sending plumes of black smokebillowing over the airfield.
The Indian Air Force has instituted a comprehensive court of inquiry toprobe the accident’s root causes, with preliminary reports underscoring theTejas’s role as a cornerstone of India’s indigenous aerospace ambitions.Built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the lightweight fighter representsNew Delhi’s push toward self-reliance in military hardware. This marks onlythe second recorded Tejas crash, following a 2024 incident in Rajasthanwhere the pilot ejected safely.
Emerging investigations, however, point to a darker undercurrent: arelentless propaganda offensive orchestrated by Pakistani and Chinesestate-aligned entities. Social media campaigns and outlets targeted Syalpersonally and the Tejas program broadly, amplifying doubts about itsreliability and mocking Indian engineering prowess. Sources familiar withthe matter reveal that this psychological strain afflicted the displayteam, prompting modifications to their routine—including heightened G-loadsand lower-altitude flights—to counter the narrative aggressively.
Read Top Stories
Tragically, these alterations proved fatal. The intensified maneuversexacerbated the risks, culminating in the unrecoverable red-out for Syal.Indian defense analysts decry the psy-ops as hybrid warfare tactics aimedat undermining regional rivals during high-profile international forums.The incident has reignited debates on protecting military personnel frominformation-age threats, with calls for enhanced mental resilience trainingwithin the armed forces.
Source:www.dw.com/en/indian-air-force-tejas-jet-crashes-at-dubai-air-show/a-74835184,”>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/21/indias-home-built-fighter-jet-tejas-crashes-at-dubai-air-show-pilot-dies”>https://www.dw.com/en/indian-air-force-tejas-jet-crashes-at-dubai-air-show/a-74835184,www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/21/indias-home-built-fighter-jet-tejas-crashes-at-dubai-air-show-pilot-dies”>https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/21/indias-home-built-fighter-jet-tejas-crashes-at-dubai-air-show-pilot-dies