A domestically made fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed on Tuesday in the western state of Rajasthan, the first such incident since the jet was inducted nearly eight years ago. The pilot ejected safely, the Indian Air Force said in a statement. Tuesday’s crash breaks the jet’s safety record since its first test flight more than two decades ago, an Indian Air Force officer told Reuters. The Indian government in 2021 gave a $6bn contract to state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, opening a new tab for 83 Tejas jets. The Tejas has been beset by design and other challenges and was once rejected by the Indian Navy as too heavy.

Source: Pakistan Today March 13, 2024 04:12 UTC