IAF grounds entire Tejas fleet after runway overshoot at frontline base: Report

The Indian Air Force has grounded its entire fleet of around 30 single-seat Tejas light combat aircraft for detailed technical checks after one of the jets sustained significant damage when it overshot a runway at a frontline airbase earlier this month, news agency PTI reported on Sunday, citing authoritative sources.

According to PTI, the incident occurred on February 7 and is suspected to have been triggered by a brake failure. The pilot ejected safely and did not suffer injuries, the sources said.

The aircraft was returning to base after a training sortie when the incident took place, PTI reported. There has been no official statement from the IAF on the accident so far.

Why has the fleet been grounded?

Sources told PTI that following the runway overshoot, the IAF decided to ground the entire fleet of single-seat Tejas jets to undertake an “extensive technical scrutiny”.

Such fleet-wide checks are typically ordered to rule out systemic faults, especially when a potential technical failure--such as a brake malfunction--is suspected.

The grounding affects roughly 30 operational Tejas aircraft currently in service.

The February 7 episode marks the third accident involving the Tejas platform. The first occurred in March 2024, when a Tejas jet crashed near Jaisalmer. The second incident took place in November 2025 during an aerial display at the Dubai Airshow, when another Tejas aircraft crashed.

Also read: HAL says no crash in Tejas incident, calls it 'minor technical issue'

HAL disputes ‘major damage’ reports

Responding to media reports, state-run aerospace manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Monday pushed back against claims that the aircraft had suffered major damage.

In a statement, HAL said: “HAL acknowledges the recent media reports on the LCA Tejas incident and wishes to provide factual clarification. There has been no reported crash of the LCA Tejas. The event in question was a minor technical incident on ground.”

HAL’s clarification directly contests earlier descriptions of the extent of damage, even as PTI had cited sources indicating that the aircraft’s airframe sustained major damage after the overshoot.

What is the Tejas programme?

Tejas is a single-engine, multi-role light combat aircraft designed for operations in high-threat environments. It is capable of carrying out air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike missions.

The latest incident comes at a sensitive time for the Tejas programme, with HAL already facing criticism over delivery timelines for the upgraded Mk-1A variant.

In February 2021, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 48,000 crore contract with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF. Deliveries under that deal have been delayed.

The delays are largely attributed to missed deadlines by GE Aerospace in supplying the F404 aero engines that power the aircraft.

In September last year, the defence ministry further expanded its commitment to the programme by signing another Rs 62,370 crore contract with HAL for 97 additional Tejas Mk-1A jets.