Hindustan Aeronautics Limited describes Tejas crash in Dubai as ‘isolated occurrence’ amid ongoing inquiry

India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has described last week’s crash of a Tejas fighter jet in Dubai as an “isolated occurrence” arising from “exceptional circumstances”, though the state-owned manufacturer did not elaborate on the specific factors involved, as reported by Reuters.

The accident took place on Friday during an aerial display at the Dubai Airshow, where the Tejas aircraft went down in a fireball in full view of spectators. The pilot was killed in the crash, prompting the Indian Air Force to initiate a court of inquiry to determine the cause, as reported by Reuters.

HAL, which manufactures the home-grown fighter powered by engines from General Electric, said both companies would fully support the investigation. Tejas—meaning ‘brilliance’ in Sanskrit—has long been positioned as a cornerstone of India’s push to modernise its air fleet, currently dominated by Russian and ex-Soviet platforms.

The high-profile loss, however, is seen by defence analysts as a setback to India’s ambitions to export the indigenous jet. The incident risks overshadowing decades of developmental effort and may limit overseas prospects, leaving HAL dependent on domestic military orders.

In its statement on Monday, HAL emphasised that the crash would not affect the company’s operations, financial performance or future deliveries. Shares of the aerospace manufacturer, which had been trading 3% lower earlier in the day, remained flat following the announcement.