Thick black smoke was seen rising from the crash site near the airport, prompting panic among onlookers, including families with children who had gathered to watch the show. (Screengrab)iaf Tejas fighter jet crash at Dubai Air Show 2025 LIVE Updates: A Tejas fighter jet crashed on Friday afternoon during a flying demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, sending a plume of thick black smoke over Al Maktoum International Airport. The fighter jet developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), went down around 2:10 pm local time, according to a report by AP.
What IAF said? In a brief statement, the IAF said the pilot sustained fatal injuries after the fighter met with an accident mid-display. The force said it “deeply regrets the loss of life” and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family. A court of inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the crash.
What is Tejas? The Tejas is a 4.5-generation multi-role combat aircraft designed for air-defence missions, offensive air support and close-combat operations, and is recognised as one of the lightest and smallest fighters in its class; among its key safety features is the Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat, engineered to enable pilots to eject safely even at zero altitude and zero speed—such as during take-off, landing or low-level manoeuvres—by explosively jettisoning the canopy, propelling the pilot clear of the aircraft and deploying parachutes to stabilise the descent.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply anguished” by the death of a brave and courageous IAF pilot during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show.
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. https://t.co/KeuBZswM1X
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) November 21, 2025
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan expressed 'deep regret' at the Tejas fighter jet crash at Dubai Air show on Friday afternoon and said all ranks of the Indian Armed Forces stand firm with the bereaved family.
''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 Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) said on X.
Leader of Opoosition Rahul Gandhi and Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal reacted to the Tejas crash and expressed condolence.
Deeply saddened by the loss of our brave IAF pilot in the Tejas crash at the Dubai Air Show.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 21, 2025
My heartfelt condolences to his family. The nation stands with them, honouring his courage and service.
Deeply saddened by the tragic crash of an IAF Tejas fighter aircraft at the Dubai Airshow and the loss of our brave pilot.
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 21, 2025
India mourns the loss of a brave air warrior. Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
A swift and proper inquiry is needed to determine the cause of… https://t.co/we9KSYjAMl
The Government of Dubai Media Office released an image of the crash site along with a statement confirming that an Indian Tejas fighter aircraft participating in the day’s flying display had crashed, resulting in the pilot’s death. It said firefighting and emergency teams responded swiftly and were managing the situation on the ground.
A Tejas fighter aircraft from India participating in today’s flying display at the Dubai Airshow has crashed, resulting in the tragic death of the pilot. Firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are currently managing the situation on-site. pic.twitter.com/LpdE87YjLM
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) November 21, 2025
What happened at the Dubai Air Show? An IAF Tejas Light Combat Aircraft crashed while performing aerobatic manoeuvres at the Dubai Air Show, held at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central.
What happened to the pilot? The pilot of the Tejas aircraft, yet to be officially identified, sustained fatal injuries. His death was confirmed by the Indian Air Force.
What did the IAF say? In a statement, the IAF expressed deep regret over the loss of life and announced a court of inquiry to determine the cause of the crash.
“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. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident,” the IAF posted on X.
What did the UAE say? The UAE’s Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident, saying firefighting and emergency responders acted swiftly and are managing the situation.
“A Tejas fighter aircraft from India participating in today’s flying display at the Dubai Airshow has crashed, resulting in the tragic death of the pilot. Firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly to the incident and are currently managing the situation on-site,” the ministry said in a post on X.
The UAE’s Defence Ministry said the Indian Tejas fighter taking part in the Dubai Airshow’s flying display crashed, leading to the pilot’s tragic death.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsفي حادث مؤلم وقع منذ قليل، لقي طيار تابع للقوات الجوية الهندية حتفه اليوم حيث تحطمت طائرته المقاتلة من طراز "تيجاس" متعددة المهام خلال مشاركتها في العرض الجوي المصاحب لمعرض دبي للطيران . تعاملت الفرق المعنية على الفور مع الحادث.
— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) November 21, 2025
A Tejas fighter aircraft from India participating… pic.twitter.com/s8GG7ufPOr
The LCA Tejas, part of the Indian Air Force’s flying display team, performed aerobatic manoeuvres at the Dubai Air Show 2025 on 19 November at Al Maktoum International Airport.
#watch | LCA Tejas part of Indian Air Force flying display performed aerobatics in Dubai Air Show 2025 on November 19, 2025, at Al Maktoum International Airport
— ANI (@ANI) November 21, 2025
An Indian Air Force Tejas aircraft has crashed at the Dubai Air Show 25 today. Further details are being ascertained… pic.twitter.com/OLvji4ixmx
The crash took place during the biennial Dubai Air Show, one of the world’s biggest aviation exhibitions. This year’s edition has already made headlines with major announcements, including multi-billion-dollar aircraft orders from Emirates and FlyDubai.
Thick black smoke was seen rising from the crash site near the airport, prompting panic among onlookers, including families with children who had gathered to watch the show.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsA Tejas plane taking part in a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show crashed on Friday afternoon (November 21). The HAL made plane went down around pm local time while performing an aerial display before a large crowd.
— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) November 21, 2025
Thick black smoke was seen rising from the crash site near… pic.twitter.com/0VosEYIGQt
The Indian Air Force announced on X that a Tejas aircraft crashed during an aerial display at the Dubai Air Show on Friday. "The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident. IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident. "
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsAn IAF Tejas aircraft met with an accident during an aerial display at Dubai Air Show, today. The pilot sustained fatal injuries in the accident.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) November 21, 2025
IAF deeply regrets the loss of life and stands firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.
A court of inquiry is being…
The Tejas is a 4.5-generation multi-role combat aircraft designed for air-defence missions, offensive air support and close-combat operations, and is recognised as one of the lightest and smallest fighters in its class; among its key safety features is the Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat, engineered to enable pilots to eject safely even at zero altitude and zero speed—such as during take-off, landing or low-level manoeuvres—by explosively jettisoning the canopy, propelling the pilot clear of the aircraft and deploying parachutes to stabilise the descent.
The Indian Air Force acknowledged the crash and said that further details were awaited. An IAF spokesperson said: “A Tejas of IAF has crashed in Dubai Air Show-25. Further details are being ascertained at the moment. Will give further details in some time.”
A Tejas fighter jet crashed on Friday afternoon during a flying demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, sending a plume of thick black smoke over Al Maktoum International Airport. The fighter jet developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) went down around 2:10 pm local time, according to a report by AP. There was no immediate confirmation on the pilot’s condition or whether an ejection took place.
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