Tejas crash in Dubai raises serious safety concerns

The second crash of the HAL-built Tejas fighter jet, this time during a sortie at the Dubai Air Show, is deeply tragic. The loss of a highly qualified IAF pilot is heart-wrenching — and the fact that this fatal accident occurred on foreign soil makes it especially troubling. Coming just two years after the previous Tejas crash, this incident raises serious concerns about the aircraft’s maintenance and service procedures.

While the Indian Air Force has ordered a court of inquiry, many are questioning whether inspection regimes, technical checks, or support systems are rigorous enough. Beyond the grief, this accident underscores a worrying pattern. If an indigenous light combat aircraft that is central to India’s modernisation efforts cannot reliably perform even at international air shows, it calls into question not just its safety but also the confidence policymakers place in it. A thorough, transparent investigation is essential — not just as a tribute to the brave pilot, but to ensure such disasters are not repeated.

N Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru-56

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A shocking crash

It was shocking to read about the death of an acclaimed Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot in a Tejas fighter jet crash at the Dubai Air Show on Friday. It is undoubtedly a national loss. The sacrifice of the brave warrior and ‘a courageous son of India’ would be remembered forever. Incidentally, Friday’s tragedy marks the second Tejas crash after the March 2024 mishap when a Tejas LCA crashed near a residential area in

Jaisalmer while returning from the tri-services exercise Bharat Shakti. Before that, the indigenously built single-engine jet, manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), had flown accident-free since its first flight in 2001.

Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai