Holiday Ayo - The crash of an Indian Tejas Mark 1A light fighter jet during a low-altitude aerobatic maneuver at the Dubai Air Show last week dealt a blow to India's aerospace hopes and ambitions.

The accident, which killed a senior Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot, occurred on Friday (November 21) in front of global defense industry delegates, generating negative publicity and potentially deterring potential arms buyers worldwide.

The IAF has launched an investigation into the crash. The investigation is expected to determine whether mechanical failure, pilot error, or other factors caused the crash.

This is not the first accident involving this type of aircraft. In March 2024, a Tejas jet crashed in the state of Rajasthan during a training exercise, but the pilot ejected safely.

A senior air force official, who requested anonymity, told DW that while the crash doesn't undermine the Tejas's superiority over older aircraft like the MiG-21, it remains less capable than China's more advanced J-20 and J-16.

"This highlights that while the Tejas is valuable for the modernization of the Indian air force, it still lags behind the advanced fifth-generation fighters used by rival nations," the official said.

The incident also highlights India's efforts to modernize its air force.

The single-engine Tejas Mark 1A, manufactured by India's state-owned defense company, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), is considered crucial to addressing the IAF's aging fleet, which largely consists of Russian and former Soviet fighter jets.

The aircraft was designed to demonstrate India's ability to design, develop, and manufacture advanced military technology indigenously.

However, the project, now more than 40 years old, has been plagued by numerous delays. Only 38 Tejas Mark 1A aircraft have entered service with the IAF so far.

HAL attributed the delay in the aircraft's delivery to a delay in the supply of engines from its US partner, GE Aerospace.

Captain Sandeep Bansal, a former Indian fighter pilot, told DW that the Tejas production and induction program was delayed because India still faces significant challenges in advanced engine technology and overall defense industrial capabilities.

"The delay in delivery is primarily due to a shortage of engines from General Electric. This creates a production bottleneck, as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has to wait for the engines to be integrated into the airframe before delivery," Bansal said.

In June, IAF chief Amar Preet Singh lamented the delays plaguing the country's defense projects and urged accountability.

"Often, we know when we sign a contract that the system will never arrive. There's not a single project that I can recall that has been completed on time," Singh said, referring to the deadlines agreed upon at the time of contract signing.

These delays also exacerbate the IAF's most glaring problem: its shrinking fighter squadron strength.

Squadron sizes in military aviation vary by country, but typically range from 18 to 24 aircraft.

The IAF is currently estimated to have only 29 squadrons, a historic low and well below its authorized strength of 42.

"The situation is not very comfortable. A further decline in squadron strength is expected before the IAF can reverse the trend," S. K. Chatterji, a defense expert and former brigadier in the Indian Army, told DW.

This shortfall is due to the retirement of older aircraft such as the MiG-21, MiG-23, and MiG-27 over the past two decades without adequate replacements.

The need to strengthen and modernize the IAF's fighter fleet has become increasingly urgent amid India's strategic challenges with its neighbors, Pakistan and China.

Indian and Pakistani forces engaged in several days of intense air combat exchanges in May, highlighting the importance of air power in any conflict.

Pakistan reportedly used Chinese-made J-10C aircraft and PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles against Indian aircraft during the clashes.

The Pakistani contingent also had a large presence at the Dubai Air Show, and announced the signing of a tentative agreement with a "friendly nation" to supply JF-17 Thunder Block III aircraft, which were jointly developed with China.

Meanwhile, China continues to rapidly expand its air power, approaching the United States.

"With China beginning to induct its Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), the J-20, into service, India's strategic concerns are growing," Bansal said.

"To counter the J-20 threat, India needs to reassess its air defense capabilities."