India's homegrown Tejas fighter jet crashes at Dubai airshow, killing pilot

India's home-produced Tejas fighter jet crashed at the Dubai Air Show on Friday, an Indian Air Force spokesperson said.

A witness said the fighter jet was flying at a low altitude at around 2:15 pm (1015 GMT) before coming down in a ball of fire. Footage from the site showed black smoke rising from the crash site.

This is the second known crash of the fighter jet, which is powered by General Electric engines. The first crash was during an exercise in India in 2024.

In a statement on X, the Indian Air Force confirmed the death of the pilot in the incident.

"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," the IAF posted.

"A court of inquiry is being constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident."

Details regarding the cause of the crash have not yet been confirmed. The incident occurred during a scheduled aerial display, which is part of the prestigious airshow attended by aviation companies and military delegations from around the world.

Indian media said the Tejas fighter jet went down while performing an aerial manoeuvre at the event. Defence sources quoted in Indian reports confirmed that the aircraft involved was from the Indian Air Force.

Footage and eyewitness accounts circulating online showed the jet descending rapidly before crashing. News reports also confirmed that the aircraft was destroyed in the crash. Indian outlets said the IAF had acknowledged the incident and initiated a probe.

This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.