A Tejas fighter aircraft crashed on Friday afternoon November 21, 2025 during a flying demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, killing the pilot, the Indian Air Force( IAF) confirmed.The incident sent thick black smoke over Al Maktoum International Airport, alarming spectators at the airshow.

“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,” AF said in a statement.

The single- seat Light Combat Aircraft( LCA), developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited( HAL), went down around 2:10 pm original time.

The crash occurred during the biennial Dubai Air Show, one of the world’s largest aviation exhibitions.The event has recently witnessed multi-billion-dollar aircraft orders from airlines such as Emirates and FlyDubai.

This marks the second Tejas crash in less than two years. In March 2024, a Tejas fighter went down in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer, though the pilot ejected safely.