An Indian Air Force Tejas Mk1 fighter jet crashed during an aerial display Friday at the Dubai Airshow 2025, killing its pilot. The IAF identified the pilot as Wing Commander Namansh Syal.
Speaking to The Indian Express from Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, Wing Commander Syal’s father Jagan Nath Sayal, a retired school principal from Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh, said his daughter-in-law too is a Wing Commander.
The IAF has two operational squadrons of the Tejas Mk1, one each at Sulur near Coimbatore and Naliya in Gujarat. This is the second crash of a Tejas aircraft. In March 2024, a Tejas Mk1 aircraft went down near Jaisalmer during a training sortie. Its pilot ejected safely.
A Court of Inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the Dubai accident, the IAF said in a statement. “IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief,” it said in its statement.
Multiple visuals of the crash on social media platforms showed the aircraft going down during an aerial display at the Dubai air show, erupting into a fireball as soon as it hit the ground. Large plumes of black smoke were seen emanating from the site.
On Saturday, the IAF mourned the loss of Syal in an X post, remembering him as a “dedicated fighter pilot and thorough professional”.
Syal “served the nation with unwavering commitment, exceptional skill and an unyielding sense of duty. His dignified persona earned him immense respect through a life devoted to service, and was visible in the send-off attended by UAE Officials, colleagues, friends, and the officials of the Indian Embassy,” the post added.
It is learnt that the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, manufactured indigenously by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), crashed around 2.10 pm Friday during the aerial display, being watched by a large audience.
An IAF contingent comprising the Suryakiran aerobatic team and three LCA Tejas aircraft had travelled to Dubai for participation in the air show.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a post on X, said: “Deeply anguished at the loss of a brave and courageous IAF pilot during an aerial display in Dubai Air Show. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. The nation stands firmly with the family in this tragic hour.”
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said, “Deeply saddened by the loss of our brave IAF pilot in the Tejas crash at the Dubai Air Show. My heartfelt condolences to his family. The nation stands with them, honouring his courage and service.”
The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, in a post on X, said “General Anil Chauhan, CDS and all ranks of Indian Armed Forces deeply regret the incident in which an IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. We deeply regret the loss of life and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.”
The IAF is scheduled to receive 180 Tejas Mk1A from HAL – delivery is yet to commence. The Tejas Mk1A, powered by General Electric F404 engines, has multiple upgrades over the Mk1 version, including integration of the AESA radar, Advanced Electronic Warfare Suite with jammer, and Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capabilities with integration of Derby and the indigenous ASTRA missile.
The newly inaugurated production line in Nashik has the capacity to manufacture eight aircraft every year, and can be increased to 10. HAL is expected to produce a total of 24 aircraft annually. Additionally, HAL is also developing the LCA Mk2 jets for the IAF.
Accidents during aerial displays at air shows around the world, including rehearsals, are not unheard of. According to IAF veterans, aerial displays often involve difficult and risky manoeuvres, and this is one of the common reasons for accidents during air displays or during their rehearsals. However, only the Court of Inquiry will be able to reveal the exact cause of the Dubai accident.
The last such instance in India was in 2019 when two Hawk trainer jets collided in air while rehearsing for Aero India, killing a pilot.
India has demonstrated the Tejas Mk1 aircraft on various platforms, including several international air shows, highlighting its efforts in indigenous defence aviation development.
In recent years, India has made efforts to market its aircraft to various countries and has held discussions with Malaysia, the Philippines, Nigeria, Brazil, Argentina, Egypt and Botswana, among others, to explore export opportunities.
Top political and military leaders have time and again taken sorties in the aircraft, building confidence on its safety and capabilities.
In 2019, Rajnath Singh became the first Defence Minister to fly in the Tejas Mk1. In February this year, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh and Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi flew together in the aircraft on the eve of Aero India 2025.
– With Saurabh Parashar in Shimla
In this combo of screenshots from a third party video, a fighter jet Tejas of the Indian Air Force is seen dropping altitude and then crashing on the ground, engulfed in a ball of fire, during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show. 
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