IAF’s Tejas aircraft crashes in Jaisalmer, probe initiated

New Delhi, Mar 12: A Tejas aircraft of the Indian Air Force met with an accident during a training sortie in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer, crashing into the compound of a student hostel. Fortunately, the pilot ejected safely, and no injuries were reported on the ground.

This marks the first crash of the indigenous jet since its maiden test flight 23 years ago in 2001. The Tejas, classified as a light combat aircraft, was formally inducted into the Indian Air Force fleet in 2016.

Confirming the incident, the Indian Air Force stated, "One Tejas aircraft of the Indian Air Force met with an accident at Jaisalmer, today during an operational training sortie. The pilot ejected safely. A Court of Inquiry has been constituted to find out the cause of the accident."

The aircraft caught fire upon impact, but the blaze has since been extinguished. It remains unclear whether the plane was engaged in the ongoing war games in Rajasthan.

Currently, the Indian Air Force operates 40 Tejas MK-1 aircraft, with an additional 83 Tejas MK-1A fighters on order, valued at over `46,000 crore. Last November, the Defence Acquisition Council granted initial approval for procuring an additional 97 Tejas planes for the force, media reports said.