Tejas Aircraft Likely To Skip IAF's Vayu Shakti Exercise Amid Reports Of Technical Incident

Last Updated:February 25, 2026, 10:33 IST

Tejas light combat aircraft Mk-1 is likely to not take part in Indian Air Force's exercise, Vayu Shakti, scheduled for February 27.

The Tejas light combat aircraft Mk-1, recently caught up in a controversy involving a technical incident on the ground at a frontline fighter base, did not take part in the full dress rehearsal of a major Indian Air Force exercise, Vayu Shakti, being held at Pokhran near Jaisalmer on Tuesday, sources familiar with the matter said.

Since the aircraft was not present in the full dress rehearsal, it will not take part in the main event, scheduled for February 27.

The Tejas LCA Mk-1 was earlier on the list of aircraft scheduled to showcase the IAF’s combat prowess during the exercise Vayu Shakti. However, it is also reported that the fighter jets are likely to miss the event as the IAF is conducting safety checks on its Tejas fleet.

The development came after Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Monday said that the LCA Mk-1 was recently involved in a technical incident on the ground. The company’s response came in regards to the clarification followed after media reports claimed that a jet had crashed at a frontline airbase.

“There has been no reported crash of the LCA Tejas. The event in question was a minor technical incident on the ground," the statement said.

An IAF pilot was killed last November after an LCA Mk-1 crashed during a demonstration flight at the Dubai airshow. That was the second crash involving the India-built single-engine fighter jet.

Earlier, a Tejas fighter jet had crashed near Jaisalmer in Rajasthan in March 2024, minutes after participating in a tri-services exercise that sought to demonstrate India’s growing efforts towards self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector. The pilot ejected safely at the time.

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