Datanomics: Swadeshi jets suffer fewer crashes than foreign counterparts

The data bore evidence to this claim. Of 129 fighter jet crashes in the past two decades, only eight crashes were of those built indigenously by the company

Defence public sector undertaking (PSU) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on November 24 stated that the recent crash of a  Tejas fighter jet, where a pilot died, was an isolated incident. The data supports this statement. Of the 129 fighter jet crashes in the past two decades, only eight crashes were of those built indigenously by the company. This represents around seven per cent of the total crashes. Over 40 pilots have been killed in these 20 years because of these crashes.

 

MiG accounts for half of total crashes

 

Most fighter jet crashes in India (2008–2025) involved MiG, Sukhoi, and Jaguar jets — all foreign-made.  

 

Indian Air Force sees steep cut  in aircraft, engine outlay

 

Expenditure on the IAF’s aircraft and aero-engines declined in both amount and as a share of the total capital expenditure by defence services from FY15-24.   

 

 

Import share tilts toward Germany

 

Imports of aircraft and their parts from Germany and the UAE rose, while declining from France, the US and Saudi Arabia from FY23 to FY25.  

 

Human error leading cause for accidents

 

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (2017–2021) identified human error and technical defects as the major causes of fighter jet crashes.