Key Points
- Incident: A Tejas LCA overshot the runway at a frontline airbase due to suspected brake failure.
- Safety: The pilot successfully ejected and is safe, though the aircraft’s airframe suffered major damage.
- Precaution: Approximately 30 single-seater Tejas jets are currently grounded for comprehensive technical inspections.
- Context: This marks the third significant accident for the Tejas platform within the last two years.
- Logistics: The grounding coincides with ongoing delivery delays of the Tejas Mark 1A due to engine supply issues from GE Aerospace.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has initiated an emergency safety review, grounding its entire operational fleet of indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) following a serious accident earlier this month. On February 7, 2026, a Tejas fighter returning from a routine training sortie overshot the runway at a key frontline airbase. Preliminary reports suggest the aircraft experienced a critical malfunction in its braking system, leading to a high-speed excursion that caused extensive structural damage to the airframe.
The pilot, recognizing the imminent danger as the jet failed to decelerate, executed a successful ejection. While the pilot escaped without serious injury, the aircraft is expected to be written off due to the severity of the impact.
Fleet-Wide Inspections
In response to the mishap, the IAF has taken the proactive step of grounding roughly 30 single-seater Tejas jets. A high-level team of technical experts and engineers from the IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is currently conducting a “bolt-to-bolt” inspection of the fleet. The investigation aims to determine if the suspected brake failure was an isolated mechanical glitch or a systemic flaw requiring design modifications across the platform.
A Troubling Pattern of Accidents
This latest incident is particularly concerning as it represents the third major loss for the Tejas program in quick succession:
- March 2024: A Tejas jet crashed near Jaisalmer during the “Bharat Shakti” exercise, the first-ever crash in the program’s history. The pilot ejected safely.
- November 2025: A tragic accident occurred during the Dubai Airshow when a Tejas aircraft crashed during an aerobatic display, resulting in the death of Wing Commander Namansh Syal.
- February 2026: The current landing mishap at a frontline airbase, leading to the current grounding.
Impact on Air Force Readiness
The grounding comes at a sensitive time for India’s defense preparedness. The IAF is already managing a dwindling number of fighter squadrons and is heavily reliant on the Tejas to replace aging Soviet-era platforms. The transition to the more advanced Tejas Mark 1A variant has been hampered by significant production bottlenecks.
While HAL has confirmed that several Mark 1A airframes are structurally complete, deliveries remain nearly two years behind schedule. The primary cause for this delay is the late supply of F404 turbofan engines from the American manufacturer, GE Aerospace. Despite recent high-level diplomatic efforts to expedite these deliveries, the shortfall has created a gap in the IAF’s modernization timeline.
The Road Ahead
The Tejas remains the centerpiece of India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliant India) initiative in the aerospace sector. Despite these setbacks, defense analysts emphasize that technical challenges are common in the lifecycle of any high-performance fighter program. However, the pressure is now on HAL and the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to restore confidence in the platform’s reliability.
The IAF’s decision to ground the fleet underscores a “safety-first” doctrine, ensuring that the indigenous fighter meets the highest operational standards before it returns to the skies to defend India’s borders.
