Dubai: The deadly crash of an Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas light-combat aircraft on Friday turned the final afternoon of the Dubai Air Show grave. The Tejas aircraft crashed onto the tarmac at Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai World Central while performing eye-catching manoeuvres. The jet, which was part of a three‑aircraft display by the IAF’s third squadron, lost control shortly after an inverted manoeuvre, failed to recover altitude and struck the ground at about 2.10 pm local time.
During the crash, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who was at the controls, tragically lost his life, leaving the entire nation to mourn the brave heart. According to the reports, the pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, was unable to eject and suffered fatal injuries. The impact created a large fireball and sent a column of black smoke billowing over the runway as thousands of spectators witnessed the tragedy.
Wing Commander Namansh Syal, a 34‑year‑old from the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh and a resident of Nagrota Bagwan, had a distinguished career as an IAF pilot. He was trained on the now‑retired MiG‑21 fleet and later flew the Sukhoi Su‑30 MKI before joining the Tejas programme.
The Indian Air Force issued a statement confirming the death and announcing that a court of inquiry would be convened to establish what caused the accident. “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 said, adding that the investigation will examine every aspect of the flight, from the aircraft’s systems to the conditions at the show. The footage captured showed a plume of smoke rising against the desert sky and the charred remains of the Tejas.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his shock and condoled the loss of the brave pilot, saying, “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.”
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu also expressed his grief on the social media platform X, writing in Hindi that the nation had lost a “brave, dutiful, and courageous pilot”. He offered his deepest condolences to the bereaved family and paid tribute to the pilot’s dedication to national service.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the manufacturer of the Tejas, issued a statement saying it was “deeply saddened” by the death of the courageous pilot and extended its heartfelt sympathies to the family.
The crash is the second involving a Tejas in the past twenty months. The previous incident occurred in March of last year during an exercise near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, where the pilot had managed to eject safely. Meanwhile, the latest tragedy has led to renewed scrutiny of the Tejas programme, which is central to India’s effort to modernise its air fleet with an indigenous fighter.
The Tejas, officially known as the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), is a single‑engine, multi‑role fighter that represents India’s first fully indigenous combat jet. Conceived by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the aircraft was christened ‘Tejas’ in 2003. It was designed to replace an ageing fleet of Russian‑origin fighters and to give the Indian Air Force and Navy a home‑grown platform capable of meeting contemporary combat demands.
In February 2019, the Tejas received its final operational clearance as a fully weaponised combat aircraft, clearing the path for induction into service. The latest Mk‑1A version incorporated an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a sophisticated electronic warfare suite and an air‑to‑air refuelling capability, placing it firmly in the ranks of modern fourth‑generation fighters.
Despite its compact size, the Tejas can carry a surprisingly diverse arsenal, including standoff weapons, precision‑guided munitions and long‑range beyond‑visual‑range missiles. Its design balances agility with high performance, making it suitable for both air‑to‑air and air‑to‑ground missions.
