Tejas in Dubai: A Tragedy, Its Lessons, and the Road Ahead

 

Tejas in Dubai: A Tragedy, Its Lessons, and the Road Ahead

Back in 2016, when Tejas made its maiden international appearance at the Bahrain International Airshow, the moment symbolised something far bigger than an aerobatic display. It was the first time an Indian-designed fighter had flown at a foreign air show — executing 8-g pulls, vertical loops, and barrel rolls with confidence. That debut marked India’s arrival as a nation determined to build its own aerospace future.

Nearly a decade later, much has changed. Tejas has evolved, HAL has grown, and the upgraded Mk1A completed its maiden flight at HAL Nashik on October 17, 2025. Expectations soared.

But only weeks later, tragedy struck.

The Dubai Accident — A Nation Mourns

On November 21, during a demonstration at the Dubai Airshow, a Tejas Mk1 crashed, claiming the life of Wing Commander Naman Syal — an exceptional pilot and a crucial contributor to India’s flight-testing ecosystem. The loss is heartbreaking: for his family, for the Indian Air Force, and for the nation.

Air-show crashes are rare but not unprecedented. The USAF Thunderbirds, Russian Knights, Patrouille de France — elite teams across the world have suffered losses during high-G, low-altitude demonstrations. Air shows push both pilot and machine to the extreme edge of performance, demanding precision measured in milliseconds.

Yet, no loss is easy. And this one was devastating.

Beyond Emotion: The Need for a Clear, Transparent Investigation

The IAF has ordered a Court of Inquiry. HAL and the Ministry of Defence will now face rigorous questions on design, systems, maintenance, and procedures. As Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor (Retd) rightly cautioned, this is not the moment for speculation. Every possibility — from mechanical failure to control-surface malfunction to human factors to sabotage — must be examined clinically.

There is a wealth of publicly available video evidence, and additional footage from IAF and airshow authorities. A thorough, time-bound, transparent investigation will be the best tribute to Wing Commander Syal.

Context Matters — Air Shows, Risks & Reality

Negative-G manoeuvres, sudden rolls, and steep dives at low altitude can disorient even the most skilled pilots. International reports suggest that 8–10 crashes have occurred during air displays worldwide in recent years. Painting Tejas as an outlier is simply inaccurate.

Nor is Tejas unsafe. With over 15,000 sorties and only one prior non-fatal crash, its safety record surpasses that of iconic fighters in their early years — including F-16, Gripen, and Rafale.

Faith, Frustration & India’s Aerospace Journey

Tejas has been a story of persistence against odds. Western sanctions after India’s nuclear tests denied critical technologies. Despite this, Indian engineers built composites, avionics, and fly-by-wire systems indigenously — a feat few nations have achieved.

The programme has seen delays, setbacks, criticism, and breakthroughs. But abandoning it now would be self-sabotage. India has already placed a major order for 97 additional Mk1A fighters worth ₹62,400 crore. The government’s confidence must now be matched by HAL’s delivery, discipline, and evolution.

Geopolitics, Propaganda & the Noise Around the Crash

When Tejas fell in Dubai, Pakistan celebrated louder than the explosion, with familiar propaganda networks pushing slow-motion clips claiming that India’s fighter had been “exposed.”

The irony is painful.

• Pakistan has never built an indigenous fighter.

• The JF-17 it flaunts is a Chinese jet with a Pakistani sticker and a Russian engine.

• Its crash history is frequent — including a crash during practice for its own 2020 parade.

Meanwhile, global aviation giants — from Boeing to Sukhoi to Lockheed Martin — have witnessed far greater losses across decades of air demonstrations.

Air-show flying is not combat flying. It is edge-of-the-envelope flying.

Those celebrating a tragedy reveal more about themselves than about Tejas.

What This Moment Demands — Maturity, Not Melodrama

India must respond the way mature nations do:

• Investigate fully.

• Share findings transparently.

• Fix what must be fixed.

• Strengthen the programme, not retreat from it.

Machines can fail. But national programmes built on science, courage, and self-reliance endure — if we allow them to learn and grow.

The Road Ahead — Hard, Necessary, and Hopeful

This accident will temporarily dent export prospects. It may embolden critics abroad and adversaries at home. But India’s aerospace ambitions will be judged not by a setback, but by how decisively we rise from it.

HAL and the Ministry of Defence must:

• Integrate all lessons into Mk1A and Mk2 production

• Accelerate quality reforms and testing protocols

• Communicate proactively with international partners

• Honour the pilot by ensuring that such losses are minimised in the future

Tejas is more than a fighter jet. It is a statement — that India will not remain a buyer forever.

Today, the world is watching. India must show that resilience is not a slogan, but a habit.

Jai Hind.