An Indian Air Force Tejas light combat aircraft crashed in a fireball during an aerial demonstration at the Dubai Airshow on Friday, killing the pilot and marking the second recorded loss of the indigenous fighter jet.
The single-engine aircraft, developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, went down shortly after 2 p.m. local time at Al Maktoum International Airport, the venue for the Middle East's largest aviation exhibition.
Eyewitness accounts described the jet completing several laps before entering a steep nose-dive, briefly leveling off, then rapidly losing altitude and impacting the ground in multiple fireballs.
Thick black smoke rose from the crash site as emergency crews rushed to the scene.
The Indian Air Force confirmed the pilot's death and announced the formation of a court of inquiry to investigate the cause of the accident.
The airshow, in its final day after opening on Monday, briefly halted flying displays but resumed operations within hours.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates described the rapid response of firefighting and rescue teams managing the wreckage.
General Electric, which supplies the F404 engine for the Tejas, stated it stands ready to assist the investigation.
The crash is the second involving the Tejas program.
A previous incident occurred in March 2024 during a training exercise in Rajasthan, India, though the pilot ejected safely in that case.
First flown in 2001, the Tejas has been positioned as a cornerstone of India's drive to reduce reliance on foreign combat aircraft, particularly aging Russian-designed MiG-21 fighters.
The program has faced longstanding delays and technical challenges over its decades-long development.