During a training sortie today, an Indian Air Force Tejas aircraft crashed close to a student residence in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
Since the domestic jet’s first test flight in 2001, 23 years ago, this is the first crash involving the aircraft. In 2016, the Tejas was inducted into the Indian Air Force.

The Air Force reported that the pilot had safely ejected and that an investigation into the incident has been ordered.

“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 Indian Air Force said on X.

The Indian Air Force owns 40 Tejas MK-1 aircraft and the IAF has 83 Tejas MK-1A fighters on order in a deal worth ₹ 36,468 crore with HAL(Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd).

Tejas is the smallest and lightest aircraft in its class and the dimensions and the extensive use of composite structure make it lighter.