Tejas crash dampens export hopes for Indian fighter jet

Firefighters work at the site of a crash involving an Indian-made HAL Tejas fighter jet at the Dubai Air Show, United Arab Emirates, Nov 21, 2025, in this handout picture obtained from social media. - Photo: Government of Dubai Media Office/Handout via Reuters

NEW DELHI/DUBAI: The crash of India's Tejas fighter in front of global arms buyers at the Dubai Airshow is the latest blow to a key national trophy, leaving the jet reliant on Indian military orders to sustain its role as a showcase of home-built defence technology.

The cause of Friday's (Nov 21) crash was not immediately known but it capped a week of jockeying for influence at the event, attended by India's arch-rival Pakistan six months after the neighbouring foes faced off in the world's largest air battle in decades.