A Tejas Light Combat Aircraft of the Indian Air Force was involved in an accident earlier this month after a suspected technical glitch, with the pilot ejecting safely. The aircraft suffered severe damage during landing at an operational airbase and may be written off. The incident is under investigation, and the IAF has not issued an official statement yet.
Incident under investigation
Reports indicate that the Light Combat Aircraft was flying back from a standard training flight at a critical operational airbase when the mishap occurred; initial analysis indicates that the incident is believed to be related to an equipment failure within the approach systems of the aircraft.
The aircraft is believed to be significantly damaged due to the excessive amount of airframe damage incurred during landing at an operational airbase; officials expect this aircraft to be a write-off due to the damage incurred. The incident has triggered investigations and technical checks.
The pilot ejected safely and escaped without serious injury.
Third loss since induction
Since being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF), this is the third Tejas aircraft to have been lost.
The first crash took place near Jaisalmer in March 2024 after a firepower demonstration, at which point the pilot successfully ejected from the aircraft.
The second loss was more severe. The second crash occurred during an aerobatic display at the Dubai Airshow in November 2025, and the pilot of that aircraft (Wing Commander Namansh Syal) had little hope of surviving because he was unable to eject in time. An investigation into that crash is still ongoing.
Both losses have operational and symbolic consequences. The Tejas programme symbolises India’s self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Every setback brings greater scrutiny of the programme as a whole.
Pressure on the Mk1A programme
The most recent event occurred as scheduled delays for producing the Tejas Mk1A increased; delivery delays have stacked two years past the point at which deliveries should have begun, though 180 Tejas aircraft now sit under contract. Current pressures on technical issues increase due to these delays.
There are very few timelines for completing fleet-wide inspections, which will only exacerbate the already slow delivery timetable. Air forces operate with more caution than any other type of military entity; therefore, reliability takes precedence over speed.
The Indian leadership responsible for defence has expressed remorse for past incidents and has now refocused on whether repetitive mechanical issue(s) indicate isolated malfunction(s) or if they are indicative of a broader systemic malfunction.
To the pilot, the ability to walk away makes for a testament to their training, experience level, and the safety features of the engineering. The focus for this programme is to rebuild confidence in it, but not to do so at an accelerated pace.
The Tejas remains a key part of India’s indigenous defence programme; however, trust in a combat aircraft does not come easily but over the course of time with the consistency of performance. Now, the investigators will ascertain if the event was just a statistical anomaly or if it is a manifestation of repeated mechanical issues.
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