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Indian Tejas Fighter Jet Crashes at Dubai Airshow 2025: Full Timeline and Technical Analysis
By Sherpa Pasang Chhiki / November 21, 2025Tejas, India’s indigenously-built fighter jet that is a part of a larger Indian project known as “Aatmanirbhar Bhaarat“ {the world “Aatmanirbhar” lossely translated as “self-sufficient” and “Bhaarat” refers to India}, crashed at the Dubai Air Show Friday during a demonstration, confirmed the Indian Air Force. The Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA Mk-1) was carrying out am aerial display for the audience over the skies of the Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central. The HAL-made aircraft went down at approximately 2:10 p.m. local time, reported The Associated Press.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Length | 13.2 m (1,320 cm / 43 ft 4 in) |
| Width (Wingspan) | 8.2 m (820 cm / 26 ft 11 in) |
| Height | 4.4 m (440 cm / 14 ft 5 in) |
| Maximum Takeoff Mass | 13,500 kg (13.5 t / 29,762 lbs) |
| Power Plant | GE 404F2/J-IN20 Turbofan Engine (1 unit, General Electric) |
| Maximum Thrust | 5,618 kgf (55.1 kN / 12,400 lbf) |
| Engine Thrust (A/B) | 85 kN (19,100 lbf) |
| Maximum Speed | Mach 1.6 (≈ 1,975 km/h / 1,227 mph at altitude) |
| Service Ceiling | 50,000 ft (15,240 m) |
| G Limits | +8g / -3.5g |
| Hardpoints | 9 |
Ministry of Defence, Government of India
What happened: IAF’s Tejas Crash in Dubai
During its final afternoon demonstration on 21 November, the Tejas (as captured in this video by Dawn) performed a low-altitude roll maneuver before it appeared to lose control, descended rapidly, and impacted the ground.The same footage reveals the jet engulfed in flames and a large plume of black smoke emanating from the site. The Indian Air Force swiftly constituted a court of inquiry to investigate the cause, and took to X to announce:
As is the case with crashes of such nature, firefighting and emergency teams responded rapidly. Despite such efforts, it was impossible to save the life of the pilot, and the airport authorities are currently managing the situation on-site. Dawn described the background of the Tejas crash in Dubai Airshow in the following manner:
The Dubai Airshow was bringing together the following number of:
- 200 aircraft across flying and static displays
- 1,500 exhibitors
- 12 conference tracks
- 450 global visionaries
What is HAL’s Tejas? Full Background
Tejas is a single-engine, multi-role Light Combat Aircraft, jointly developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). Tejas is “expected to bolster India’s depleted fighter fleet as China expands its military presence in South Asia, including by strengthening defense ties with India’s rival Pakistan“. Please also note that India recently beat China in the modern military aircraft rankings.One of the key features of the Tejas is its “Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat“, which is described by NDTV in the following way:
Despite such a provision, the pilot wasn’t able to make it out alive.
What does Tejas mean?
The name of the aircraft, Tejas, is derived from Sanskrit, and can be loosely translated as “radiance.” The word “Tej” can have various connotations- it can:- mean something that is quick
- refer to someone’s acuity
- be used at describing someone skillful
Specifications of Tejas That was Involved in Dubai Air Show Crash
According to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the Tejas aircraft that crashed in the Airshow was a “LCA Mk1A” type, the most advanced version of the LCA Tejas. Some of the features of this fighter jet include the following:- Smart Multi-function Displays (SMFD)
- EW suite consisting of radar warning and self-protection jamming
- AESA Radar
- Digital Map Generator (DMG)
- Combined Interrogator and Transponder (CIT)
- Advanced Radio Altimeter and other advances features
Its structure integrates extensive composite elements, which not only reduce overall weight but also enhance durability and fatigue life. This enables the aircraft to remain one of the smallest and lightest platforms in its class while still supporting a broad mission envelope.
Core Airframe and Design Attributes
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Smallest & lightest in class | Dimensions optimized through heavy composite use, keeping the aircraft compact yet structurally strong |
| Compound tail-less delta | Provides aerodynamic efficiency and supports a wider variety of weapons |
Key systems and capabilities of Tejas LCA Mk1
- In-flight refueling (IFR) probe: Extends endurance during missions and is operational both day and night.
- Open-architecture mission computer: Fully indigenous and designed for interoperability, scalability, and long-term software growth.
- Quadruplex-redundant fly-by-wire controls: Four-channel digital flight control that ensures stability and easy handling even in demanding manoeuvres.
- AESA radar: An electronically scanned array with a low probability of interception, improving survivability and detection performance.
- Weapon versatility: Hardpoints capable of carrying long-range BVR missiles, close-combat WVR missiles, guided/unguided bombs, and precision munitions.
A Brief into Tejas’ Crash History
Tejas made it to the Indian Air Force in 2016 with the first Tejas squadron, No. 45 ‘Flying Daggers,’. Air Force as well as the Navy operate single-seat and twin-seat variants of Tejas.Prior to the fatal crash of Tejas at the Airshow today, Tejas has never suffered a fatal accident. On March 12, 2024, a Tejas aircraft operated by the IAF crashed near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, as it went down during operations. The pilot had activated the Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection system back then.
The Hindustan Times had reported that the Tejas had crashed “minutes after taking part in a tri-services exercise that sought to demonstrate the strides India has made towards self-reliance in the defense manufacturing sector“, and quoted a few sources who said that an engine seizure had led to the crash:
Did an Oil Leak lead to the Tejas’ crash?
The crash comes at a delicate moment for Tejas: India recently inked a contract for acquiring 97 more Tejas jets, with deliveries reportedly slated from 2027 onward. The incident will likely provoke scrutiny of the platform’s aerobatic safety margin, especially in exports and international demonstrations.Only yesterday, various social media accounts claimed that Tejas was suffering from oil leaks, something that the government of India had to fact check against. Such claims were made on the basis of videos that depicted draining of condensed water from Tejas’ following systems:
- Environmental Control System (ECS)
- On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS)
As the investigation about the crash is ongoing, no one knows any conclusive reasons what caused the crash.
Tejas has been a part of the Dubai Air Show before
Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, the Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS), had hinted that Tejas might be able to garner orders at the Dubai Airshow 2025 where it subsequently crashed and was quoted in ANI as having said:Tiwari said that Tejas had a history of performing at the Dubai Airshow where it had garnered some interest.
But after the crash, all the interest that the aircraft has been able to generate might be stalled, at least until the investigation reveals what went wrong.
