NEW DELHI — An Indian Air Force fighter jet crashed on Wednesday afternoon in Rajasthan’s Churu district, authorities said, marking the latest in a series of aviation accidents involving military aircraft.
The crash occurred around 1:25 p.m. local time near Banoda village, in an agricultural field, according to Kamlesh, station house officer of Rajaldesar, who spoke to the Press Trust of India.
Initial reports from the scene indicated that human remains were found scattered at the crash site, raising concerns that the pilot or pilots aboard may not have survived. Emergency response teams were deployed to the area, and investigations are underway. The Indian Air Force has not yet issued an official statement.
The crash follows a series of recent incidents involving Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft.
In April, a two-seater Jaguar aircraft crashed during a night mission shortly after takeoff from Jamnagar Airfield. One pilot, Siddharth Yadav, died from injuries sustained during ejection; the second pilot was injured but survived. The IAF attributed the crash to a technical malfunction.
In March 2025, a fighter jet went down in Panchkula, Haryana, during a routine training sortie. The pilot ejected safely after steering the aircraft away from populated areas. The IAF said a system malfunction caused the crash and opened an inquiry.
In February, a twin-seater Mirage 2000 crashed near Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, also during a training flight. Both pilots ejected safely.
In November 2024, a MiG-29 fighter jet crashed in a field near Agra, Uttar Pradesh, due to a reported technical fault during a training sortie. The pilot safely ejected.
Further details on Wednesday’s incident are expected as the investigation progresses.
