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ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;The Indian Air Force (IAF) said early Friday that a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed during a training mission in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, hours after the aircraft was reported missing. In a statement posted on X, the air force said the aircraft went down in a remote area of Karbi Anglong district. &ldquo;The Su-30MKI, which was on a training mission, crashed in the area of Karbi Anglong, Assam, approx 60 km from Jorhat,&rdquo; the IAF said in the post. The force added that search operations are underway, though it did not immediately confirm the status of the crew. The aircraft had earlier lost contact after taking off from the region late Thursday, triggering search efforts in the surrounding area. Indian journalist Amandeep Flora said the aircraft disappeared near the city of Jorhat before the crash was confirmed. &ldquo;Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI went missing near Jorhat, Assam. Pilot status &mdash; UNKNOWN. Search operation launched. Court of Inquiry ordered,&rdquo; Flora wrote on X. He added that the incident highlights the scale of the loss. &ldquo;India&#39;s most advanced fighter jet. Missing over its own soil. This is India&#39;s 12th Su-30 MKI lost,&rdquo; he said. Flora also noted the timing of the crash as global attention remains focused on intensifying tensions in the Middle East. &ldquo;While the world watches Iran, India just lost a fighter jet in Assam,&rdquo; he wrote. The crash comes amid broader global security concerns following escalating tensions in the Middle East, where recent US&ndash;Israeli strikes on Iran have triggered retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Gulf, prompting air defense alerts and raising fears of wider regional instability.&nbsp;

India

The Indian Air Force said it lost contact with a Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jet after it departed from Assam at 7:42 pm Thursday, with officials yet to disclose crew details or the aircraft’s last known position.

Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jet crashes during training mission

ISLAMABAD: Indian aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd said on Monday that the deadly crash of its Tejas light combat aircraft at the Dubai Airshow on Nov. 21 will not disrupt production or derail the company&#39;s export ambitions. In an official statement, the aircraft manufacturer described Friday&#39;s incident as an &quot;isolated occurrence.&quot; It said production and delivery schedules would remain on track. An Indian Air Force pilot died when his Tejas fighter crashed during an exhibition flight at the international aviation showcase on Nov. 21. Witnesses reported the jet spiraled out of control during a close-to-ground flight sequence before exploding on impact. Authorities confirmed no bystanders were harmed. Military investigators have opened a formal inquiry into the cause of the mishap. HAL and General Electric, the firm that manufactures the jet&#39;s engine, said they would provide complete assistance to the probe. &quot;We remain steadfast in our commitment to both the investigation process and the program&#39;s continued advancement,&quot; the company said. &quot;The accident will not alter our manufacturing capacity or international market strategy.&quot; This represents the program&#39;s second major mishap, following a 2024 incident on Indian soil in which the aviator survived. About the Tejas program The fighter jet represents India&#39;s homegrown answer to its reliance on foreign military hardware, aimed explicitly at replacing deteriorating Soviet-designed warplanes. General Electric turbines power the single-engine jets, which HAL markets to nations requiring affordable modern combat capability. Government approval for the Light Combat Aircraft initiative came in 1983, with the Aeronautical Development Agency formed the following year to oversee development. The objective was to create a domestic alternative to the air force&#39;s obsolete MiG-21 inventory. Initial flight testing occurred on Jan. 4, 2001, when the first experimental model took to the skies. The then-Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee selected the Sanskrit designation two years later: &quot;Tejas,&quot; which translates variously as brilliance, fire, or radiance. Government communications at the time talked about the symbolic importance of the indigenous aerospace achievement, as reported by local Indian media. Operational squadrons began receiving aircraft in July 2016, marking the conclusion of a development cycle spanning more than three decades. The aircraft The crashed aircraft was identified as a Tejas Mark 1, representing HAL&#39;s baseline combat aircraft. Military procurement records show it came from an initial 40-unit order cleared for full operational deployment. Factory deliveries for this contract spanned 2016 through 2021, suggesting the aircraft had accumulated multiple years of flight operations. Current operations and market impact No foreign air forces currently fly the aircraft type. Indian military branches, both air force and naval aviation, represent the sole operators worldwide. Company executives insisted their financial stability and underlying business strength remained intact despite the setback. However, share prices declined 3% through Monday&#39;s closing bell, with the stock continuing to trade lower.

It described the Dubai Airshow incident as an 'isolated occurrence,' insisting the production and delivery schedules would remain on track.

Articles tagged with "INDIAN AIR FORCE"

Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter jet crashes during training mission

Indian aircraft maker says deadly crash won't derail Tejas fighter jet program