Dubai Airshow Crash Deals Blow to India’s Fighter Jet Export Ambitions

Dubai — India’s hopes to export its Tejas fighter jet suffered a major setback after the aircraft crashed during a demonstration at the Dubai Airshow, one of the world’s biggest aviation events.

According to a report by Reuters, the cause of the crash is still unknown. The incident occurred while global military buyers were watching, and India’s Air Force paid tribute to Wing Commander Nimansh Syal, who lost his life in the crash.

Experts say the accident casts a “shadow” over India’s efforts to promote the Tejas jet internationally. The aircraft, developed over four decades, is now expected to rely mostly on domestic military orders.

The Dubai Airshow is the third-largest aviation event after Paris and Farnborough. Although such crashes at international airshows are rare, similar accidents involving Russian aircraft in past decades did not stop countries, including India, from placing orders.

The Tejas program, started in the 1980s to replace ageing Soviet MiG-21 jets, has faced delays due to supply chain issues — especially for engines supplied by GE Aerospace. India has ordered 180 upgraded Mk-1A fighters, but deliveries have not yet begun.

A former Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) executive said the crash has “ended export possibilities for now,” adding that HAL will likely focus on increasing production for India rather than foreign buyers. Target markets previously included Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

The crash is widely seen as a blow to India’s ambitions to enter the global fighter jet export market.