Indian Fighter Jet Tejas Crashes During Dubai Airshow

A Tejas fighter jet crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show on Friday afternoon, around 2:10 p.m. local time. 

It remains unclear whether the pilot managed to eject safely. Thick black smoke was seen rising from the airport, sending shock and concern through onlookers, including families gathered at the event.

The incident comes just one day after the government issued a clarification countering social media claims that the Indian LCA Tejas Mk1 had suffered an oil leak during the airshow.

The Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check division had refuted those allegations, explaining that the widely circulated videos captured a routine and deliberate procedure rather than a technical fault.

Officials stated that the footage showed a standard aircraft drainage process often conducted in humid climates.

According to PIB, the visible discharge was condensed water being released from the Environmental Control System (ECS) and the On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS)—a normal operational function in high-moisture environments like Dubai.

VIDEO | Dubai: A Tejas fighter jet taking part in the Dubai Air Show nosedived during an aerial display and crashed this afternoon. The HAL-manufactured aircraft went down around 02:10 pm local time while performing manoeuvres in front of a large audience. An official statement… pic.twitter.com/9MfLJgYeen

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 21, 2025

Authorities dismissed the online claims as false and suggested that the misleading posts were intended to undermine confidence in the performance of the Light Combat Aircraft.

The Indian Air Force has confirmed the death of the pilot and has informed that a court of inquiry is being constituted to probe the cause of the accident.

The Tejas Mk1 has been a key part of India’s push to highlight indigenous aerospace capabilities and strengthen its defence manufacturing profile on the international stage, with the jet featured in multiple global airshows.

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