The Indian HAL Tejas crashed around 2:10 p.m. local time, and it wasn’t immediately clear if the pilot ejected.
Black smoke rose over the airport as those in the crowd, including women and children, watched.
The Indian Air Force is yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
This mishap comes a day after the government clarified that claims circulating on social media over the Indian LCA Tejas Mk1 suffering an oil leakage at the Dubai Airshow 2025 are false.
The Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check unit had issued an explanation, saying that videos in circulation showed a routine, intentional procedure and not a technical malfunction.
Also read: Tejas Mk1 suffered no oil leakage at Dubai Airshow, govt fact checks fake claims
According to the government, misleading claims that were amplified by several propaganda accounts, attempted to portray a performance issue with the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA).
Authorities clarified that the viral videos show routine aircraft draining procedures commonly used in humid conditions, and not any form of technical malfunction.
The PIB Fact Check team stated that the fluid seen coming off the aircraft is condensed water being expelled from the Environmental Control System (ECS) and the On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS). These processes are “standard operating procedures” in regions with high atmospheric moisture, including Dubai.
Officials dismissed the online speculation as “fake” and said the misleading posts appear aimed at undermining confidence in the fighter’s capabilities and performance.
The Tejas Mk1 is part of India’s effort to showcase indigenous defence aviation on the global stage, participating in foreign airshows as a symbol of domestic aerospace development.
