Tejas safety record best globally, says HAL chief

HAL had on November 24 informed Indian stock exchanges that the LCA Mk-1 crash at the Dubai Airshow was “an isolated occurrence arising out of exceptional circumstances”

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) chief DK Sunil on Friday said that the safety record of the Tejas light combat aircraft was the best in the world and there was no problem with the indigenous fighter jet.

DK Sunil said there was no problem with the indigenous fighter jet. (Representative file photo)

“There is absolutely no problem with Tejas. It’s a wonderful aircraft and it’s absolutely safe. Its safety record is the best in the world. What we saw in Dubai was an unfortunate incident,” Sunil said at the ANI National Security Summit, when asked if the November 21 Dubai crash was a setback for India’s fighter ambitions.

HAL had on November 24 informed Indian stock exchanges that the LCA Mk-1 crash at the Dubai Airshow was “an isolated occurrence arising out of exceptional circumstances”. The pilot, Wing Commander Namansh Syal, was killed in the crash, the second involving the India-built single-engine fighter jet since it was inducted by the Indian Air Force in July 2016.

“As countries evolve and develop their own technologies, they go through phases. Today we have made this 4.5 generation aircraft with the latest capability. It’s a resounding success and we should all be proud of it. There will always be naysayers who will raise questions, but it will not deter us from going from strength to strength,” the HAL chief said.

The state-run plane maker earlier reported to BSE Ltd and the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd that the incident will not affect the company’s business operations or its future deliveries. The development came at a time the IAF is looking to induct an advanced variant of the plane, the LCA Mk-1A.

There is no question that the crash will have any impact on the future of Tejas, Sunil said. “We have an order for 180 LCA Mk-1As and I am sure the orders will go up. We will definitely have an export market for the aircraft too,” he added.

Earlier, a Tejas fighter jet had crashed near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan on March 12, 2024, minutes after taking part in a tri-services exercise that sought to demonstrate the strides India has made towards self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector. The pilot ejected safely at the time. The two aircraft that crashed were part of the IAF’s Mk-1 fleet in the initial operational clearance (IOC) and the more advanced final operational clearance (FOC) configurations --- the first variants of LCA. The air force currently operates two Mk-1 squadrons (a squadron has 16 to 18 planes).

The IAF has so far placed two separate orders for a total of 180 Mk-1As (the latest LCA variant) with a combined value of ₹1.1 lakh crore to shore up its fighter fleet. The first contract for 83 jets was inked in February 2021, followed by a second one for 97 fighters in September 2025.

To be sure, none of the fighters ordered four years back has been delivered yet. The IAF could get the delivery of the first of the 83 jets ordered in the coming months, and the contract is likely to be executed over the next four to five years. The delivery under the second contract for 97 aircraft is expected to begin in 2027-28 and be wrapped up over six years.

“We would like to assure that there is no impact on the Company’s business operations, financial performance or its future deliveries. The Company is extending its full support and cooperation to the agencies conducting the investigation (into the Dubai crash). The Company will continue to keep the stakeholders informed of any material development,” HAL said in a clarification to the stock exchanges earlier this week.