Key Points:
- Repeated IAF technical and operational mishaps raise serious concerns
- Recent Dubai Air Show crash highlights reliability issues
- Confirmed combat losses, ageing fleet, and maintenance shortfalls under scrutiny
- Analysts call for deeper reforms in training, safety culture, and modernisation
ISLAMABAD: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has come under renewed scrutiny following a series of accidents, maintenance issues, and confirmed combat losses.
The recent crash of a HAL Tejas fighter jet during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show has raised fresh concerns about the IAF’s operational readiness and aircraft reliability, according to AP reports.
Just a day prior, media outlets reported an oil leakage from another Tejas aircraft. Indian authorities clarified it was routine condensation water drainage, and not engine oil, yet the incident renewed questions about the IAF’s maintenance and safety protocols, according to economictimes.indiatimes.com.
In recent history, multiple aircraft crashes: A Tejas LCA crashed during a training sortie in March 2024 near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, with the pilot ejecting safely, according to indianexpress.com. In July 2025, a Jaguar trainer jet crashed near Churu, Rajasthan, killing both pilots, as reported by dawn.com.
Confirmed combat losses have also raised concern. A recent US Congress report noted that Pakistan downed six Indian jets in the May 2025 clash, including Rafale fighter jets, validating Islamabad’s claims. Analysts observe that limited training exposure, ageing platforms, and logistical challenges as key contributors.
Defence experts also cite verified post-strike imagery analysed by The Washington Post, showing debris consistent with at least two Indian jets, including a Rafale and Mirage 2000, suggesting some of the May clash losses were accurate.
Experts argue that the pattern of operational mishaps, crashes, and combat losses reflects systemic issues in pilot training, aircraft maintenance, and overall force readiness. These failures carry implications for defence credibility, regional security perception, and India’s ambitions for modernising its air force.
