An Indian Air Force Jaguar fighter jet crashed near Bhanuda village in Rajasthan’s Churu district on Wednesday, killing both pilots instantly. The aircraft, part of India’s aging fleet first inducted in the 1970s, disintegrated in an agricultural field shortly after takeoff from Suratgarh airbase. This marks the third Jaguar crash in 2025, following incidents in Panchkula (March 7) and Jamnagar (April 2) raising urgent concerns about India’s military maintenance capabilities and pilot safety protocols. The IAF’s terse statement expressing regret notably omitted technical causes, fueling speculation about systemic negligence.
India’s aviation safety crisis deepened as investigators narrowed the June 12 Air India crash focus to "movement of fuel control switches" in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The preliminary report (due Friday) suggests improper handling of engine thrust controls caused the Ahmedabad disaster that killed 214 onboard and others on the ground. Aviation expert John Cox emphasized the switches "can’t be bumped accidentally," implying potential crew error. This follows revelations that India’s military concealed jet losses during May’s clashes with Pakistan, a pattern of opacity eroding public trust.
The Jaguar crash underscores India’s deteriorating defense readiness, compounded by the IAF's obsolete hardware, with 45-year-old jets with outdated avionics, training deficiencies, since pilot error is suspected in all 2025 crashes and a secrecy culture where military chiefs admit tactical errors only after global scrutiny. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry reiterated commitment to "peaceful dialogue," urging India to address internal safety failures rather than scapegoating neighbors. With India’s defense budget prioritizing offensive capabilities over maintenance, further tragedies appear inevitable.