The country is in shock after the Indian Air Force’s Tejas fighter jet crashed during a performance at the Dubai Air Show. Pilot Squadron Leader Rahul Sharma died in the accident. It happened at 2:08 pm on Friday, right in the middle of a daring aerial manoeuvre that had everyone watching, holding their breath. Seconds later, the jet went down.
Political Reaction
Leaders across the political spectrum responded with grief and support. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called it “deeply distressing” and praised Sharma’s courage and skill. He promised full support for the pilot’s family. Rahul Gandhi posted on X, paying tribute to the pilot and asking for a transparent investigation. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan said the entire military stands with Sharma’s family, and he made it clear that every detail of the crash will be looked into.
No matter their party, leaders repeated the same message: deep sadness, respect for the pilot’s sacrifice, and a promise to get to the bottom of what happened.
What exactly went wrong?
The official investigation is still going, but aviation experts and retired Air Force officers have started piecing it together.
Barrel roll done wrong
A barrel roll is a move that takes the jet up, flips it, and then dives. Experts say the Tejas might not have had enough height or speed to recover, and control was lost just seconds before the crash.
Technical failure
Something like a fly-by-wire glitch or a problem with the control surfaces. The real answer will come from the jet’s flight data and cockpit recorders.
Sudden engine flameout
If the engine lost power while the plane was low and moving fast, Sharma wouldn’t have had a chance to steady the aircraft or eject.
Social media rumours about an oil leak
The Air Force shut them down, explaining that the fluid people saw was just normal condensation, not a warning sign.
This crash doesn’t just hurt the Air Force – it raises tough questions about air show safety and how the world perceives India’s homegrown Tejas program. The investigation continues, but for now, the focus is on finding out exactly what went wrong and honouring a pilot who gave everything while flying for his country.
