It is unclear whether the aircraft was participating in any ongoing military exercises in Rajasthan.
A Tejas aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force during a training mission crashed inside a student hostel in Rajasthan”s Jaisalmer. The pilot successfully ejected from the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
The crash occurred near the Lakshmi Chand Sanwal Colony in Jaisalmer around 2 pm, on the grounds adjacent to a student hostel. While it remains unclear whether the aircraft was participating in any ongoing military exercises in Rajasthan, the Indian Air Force has initiated a probe to ascertain the cause of the crash.
In an official statement, the Indian Air Force said on X, “One Tejas aircraft of the Indian Air Force met with an accident at Jaisalmer, today during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to find out the cause of the accident.”
This is the first recorded crash involving the indigenous Tejas jet since its inaugural test flight over two decades ago in 2001. The Tejas, an important component of India”s air defense capabilities, was formally integrated into the Indian Air Force fleet in 2016.
An eyewitness described the scene as, “I was standing nearby. The pilot of the plane ejected and I saw a parachute open. The aircraft crashed in a ground and there was a loud explosion.”
The induction of the Tejas into the Indian Air Force (IAF) started with the No. 45 Squadron, also recognized as the “Flying Daggers,” in 2016. Following suit, the No. 18 Squadron joined the ranks in 2020, marking the continued expansion of Tejas-equipped units within the IAF.
Currently, the Indian Air Force boasts a fleet of 40 Tejas MK-1 aircraft, with an additional 83 Tejas MK-1A fighters on order, in a deal worth ₹ 46,000 crore.
Recognizing the multifaceted utility of the Tejas, the Indian Navy also operates a twin-seater variant of this advanced aircraft.
Tejas originated from the government of India”s visionary initiative in 1984, the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program, under the guidance of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). The Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) emerged as the driving force behind the design and development of this domestically produced supersonic aircraft. Tejas stands as the second supersonic fighter jet to be crafted by HAL, following the HAL HF-24 Marut.
The aircraft was officially christened “Tejas,” meaning “radiance” in Sanskrit, by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in 2003.
Recently, the IAF encountered another incident when a Hawk trainer aircraft crashed during a routine training sortie in West Bengal. The aircraft crashed in a civilian area near the Kalaikunda Air Force Station without causing loss of life or damage to civilian property. Both pilots ejected safely.
