In the realm of global hard power, images often speak aloud. Two stark visuals now encapsulate India's military industrial narrative. The first is Operation Sindoor: a meticulously orchestrated strike, showcasing India's prowess in integrating Rafale jets with stand-off weapons, drones, artillery, satellites and an advanced air-defense grid—a testament to precise, technology-driven joint operations. The second image is far more haunting: the fiery wreckage of a Tejas fighter at the Dubai Air Show on November 21, 2025.
For a nation that aims to export weapons to over 90 countries and hit ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029, the fallouts can impact the ‘Made in India’ tag adversely. But how New Delhi handles the aftermath—the facts, the engineering fixes and above all, the narrative—will be key. In an era where perception shapes procurement deals, India must transform this setback into a story of resilience and maturity. There is a need to reiterate some facts to temper the social media blitz of our adversaries after this accident.
Since its maiden flight in 2001, the Tejas programme has logged only two hull-loss accidents. The first occurred on March 12, 2024, in Jaisalmer, where an Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas crashed during a training sortie, with the pilot ejecting safely. The Dubai incident marks the second in roughly 24 years of its first flight. With 38 series aircraft operational since 2016, the fleet has accumulated tens of thousands of flight hours.
The venerable F-16, a global bestseller, has endured over 670 hull-loss accidents across millions of hours and thousands of jets. Sweden's Gripen suffered at least nine incidents, including infamous airshow crashes in 1989 and 1993 due to flight control software glitches. France's Rafale has seen losses, including a 2007 crash and a fatal 2009 mid-air collision. Many frontline fighters have survived such accidents to become export successes. The Gripen's early crashes sparked cancellation calls in Sweden, but Saab and the government persisted: they overhauled control laws, expanded flight testing, leading to a stellar safety record—bolstered by exports to five air forces. The Eurofighter Typhoon lost an Italian jet and pilot in a 2017 display crash, prompting procedural tweaks without derailing its export trajectory.
On the civilian front, Boeing's 737 MAX saga is instructive: two crashes killing 346 people led to a global grounding, exhaustive software and training overhauls under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and a gradual return to service. Common threads emerge: unflinching technical investigations identifying root causes in software, hardware, human factors or procedures; tangible fixes like redesigned systems or new training; external validation from independent regulators; steadfast political support without denialism; and ultimately, years of reliable operations to rebuild trust. India must adopt a similar approach.
Defence exports hit a record ₹23,622 crore ($2.7 billion) in FY 2024-25, and Tejas is the flagship of this narrative. As markets thrive on stories and Dubai's spectacle is a marketer's nightmare, China's Global Times has seized on this, framing it as doubts over Indian military industrial quality, along with Pakistani social media frenzy. To counter this, India must act decisively on engineering and narrative fronts.
First, the Court of Inquiry should be a watershed event: make it transparent, time-bound and multidisciplinary (involving IAF pilots, HAL/ADA engineers, CEMILAC/DGAQA (Centre for Military Airworthiness & Certification/Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance) certifiers, engine OEMs, and UAE officials). Subsequently, publish a redacted summary detailing causes, factors and mandated changes.
Second, share metrics like accident rates, mission aborts and operational availability, and launch a formal ‘Reliability Growth Plan’ with 5- and 10-year targets, backed by incentives.
Third, address institutional voids by establishing a Military Aviation Safety Board akin to the NTSB with labs and public reporting mandates. Align CEMILAC/DGAQA with global standards—AS9100-quality supply chains, digital traceability and robust human-factors analysis. Fourth, master the narrative by creating a joint MoD-IAF-HAL crisis cell for rapid and honest messaging. Anchor every Dubai reference with comparisons—Gripen, Typhoon, Rafale, F-16 amongst others—all of which recovered after similar incidents. Proactively brief Tejas customers on timelines and records before adversaries twist the tale.
Finally, weave Operation Sindoor and the accident into a cohesive story. Together, they illustrate India's transition to a mature military producer-user. The true test of defence Atmanirbharta, besides flawless execution, is also a response to failure. Denial and nationalism could taint Indian defence pitches for years. However, credible probes, visible fixes, independent oversight and disciplined storytelling could in fact position India as a credible aerospace player.