The Tejas Mk-1 light fighter aircraft, which recently met with a technical accident on the ground at a frontline fighter base, did not participate in the full exercise of a major Indian Air Force (IAF) training exercise, Vayu Shakti, at Pokhran near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on Tuesday, people familiar with the matter said.
She is unlikely to participate in the main event on February 27 as well, sources said. The LCA Mk-1 aircraft was earlier on the list of aircraft scheduled to showcase the IAF’s combat prowess during the exercise. An IAF spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
It is possible that the indigenously produced fighter may have missed the operation, as the Indian Air Force is conducting safety checks on its Tejas fleet in the wake of the February 7 incident, sources said. The Indian Air Force inducted its first LCA Mk-1 in July 2016 and currently operates two squadrons (a squadron consisting of 16 to 18 aircraft).
The Israeli Air Force had previously said that the training would include 77 combat aircraft, 43 helicopters, eight transport aircraft, remotely piloted aircraft, unmanned counter-air systems, and surface-to-air guided weapons. The IAF said in February that full operations will be carried out by fighter, transport and helicopter platforms including Tejas, Rafale, Jaguar, Mirage 2000, Sukhoi 30MKI, MiG-29, Hawk, C-130J, C-295, C-17, Chetak, ALH MK-IV, Mi-17 IV, LCH, Apache, Chinook and remotely piloted aircraft (RPA). 11.
State-owned aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said on Monday that an LCA Mk-1 aircraft recently had a technical incident on the ground, and the issue was being closely examined. This clarification came after media reports claimed that a plane crashed at a front-line air base. “The LCA Tejas plane crash has not been reported. The event in question was a minor technical accident on the ground,” it said in a statement.
The development came months after an Indian Air Force pilot was killed last November after an LCA Mk-1 aircraft crashed during a test flight at the Dubai Air Show. This is the second crash involving an Indian single-engine fighter jet. Earlier, a Tejas fighter jet crashed near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan in March 2024, minutes after participating in a tri-service exercise that sought to showcase the strides India has made towards self-reliance in the defense manufacturing sector. The pilot exited safely at that time.
The latest incident comes as the Indian Air Force looks into fielding an advanced version of the aircraft, the LCA Mk-1A. The Indian Air Force has so far placed two separate orders for 180 LCA Mk-1As with a total value of Rs $1.1 million crore to support its combat fleet. The first contract for 83 aircraft was signed in February 2021, followed by the second contract for 97 fighters in September 2025. None of the fighters ordered five years ago have been delivered yet.
