On November 21, an Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet performing aerial manoeuvres at the Dubai Airshow crashed, killing its pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal. This is the second crash involving the indigenous aircraft in its 24-year history but the first to result in a fatality. The previous Tejas crash took place in Jaisalmer in March 2024 when the pilots ejected safely.

With the IAF ordering a court of inquiry, this bonus segment of In Our Defence sees host Dev Goswami and national security expert Sandeep Unnithan break down what the accident reveals about India’s indigenous defence production and the future of the Tejas programme.

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Produced by Taniya Dutta

Sound mixed by Suraj Singh