Mumbai (Monitoring Desk): Continuous accidents and failures of India’s domestically developed Tejas fighter jet have raised serious concerns about the country’s air defense capabilities. According to a BBC report, after the third Tejas accident on February 7, 2026, the Indian Air Force quietly grounded its entire fleet of 30 aircraft.
The Tejas program began in 1981, with its first test flight in 2001, but India has yet to develop its own engine. The jet’s engines, avionics, radar systems, and weapons have been imported from the United States and Israel. Grounding the entire fleet highlights the severity of the technical issues.
Reports note that India does not currently have a fifth-generation fighter and, despite interest in the Russian-made SU-57 fighter jet, there are concerns about upsetting the United States. On March 6, a Russian-made SU-30MKI fighter jet also suffered an accident near Jorhat.
Military experts state that the Indian Air Force requires at least 42 squadrons, but the number is steadily declining. The grounding of Tejas, shortage of squadrons, and other operational issues clearly expose structural weaknesses in India’s air power.
