This is with reference to the news report ‘Indian fighter jet crashes during Dubai air show, pilot loses life’ (TGE, Nov. 22). The crash of the indigenously developed Tejas Mark-1 fighter jet at the recent Dubai air show is unfortunate and comes as a severe blow to the manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
It is also the second crash in 20 months, which puts a question mark over the fighter jet’s credibility and its superiority over its predecessor, the MIG-21, which served the country for over six decades and was retired only on September 26, 2025, after being used in several wars and air strikes against Pakistan.
It is also hoped that the recent crash of the Tejas Mark-1 fighter jet at the Dubai air display, held to showcase the fighter jet’s superior characteristics to an international audience, will not adversely affect HAL’s credibility and future orders.
