A Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) of the Indian Air Force crashed in Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on Tuesday during an operational training sortie, the first such incident involving the indigenously-built jet. The pilot ejected safely and there were no casualties, officials said.
In a brief statement, the IAF said a court of inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident. The crash took place around 100 km from the Pokhran desert where a mega war game ‘Bharat Shakti’ witnessed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top military brass was underway.
The Tejas aircraft, manufactured by state-run aerospace behemoth Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles.
Tejas aircraft are set to be the mainstay of the IAF with nearly 40 Tejas of initial variants already inducted. A Rs 48,000 crore deal for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF was sealed in February 2021.
In November last, the defence ministry gave initial approval to procure an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets for the IAF. Officials have indicated that the Tejas jet that crashed near Jaisalmer was to be part of the ongoing military exercise.
Jaisalmer Additional Superintendent of Police Mahendra Singh confirmed that there was no loss of property or human life in the crash near Kalla residential colony where thick black smoke was seen billowing out from a single-storey brick structure.
The Tejas aircraft, being a cornerstone of India’s defense capabilities, is undergoing rigorous testing and training to bolster the country’s air force strength, with safety measures at the forefront of operations.
