Claim: Armenia halted negotiations to purchase Tejas jets from India: Decision made after Dubai crash; deal for 12 aircraft worth ₹10,000 crore
Armenia has halted negotiations to purchase Tejas fighter jets from India. According to Israeli media outlet Jerusalem Post, this decision was made after the Tejas aircraft crash at the Dubai Airshow on November 21st, killing Indian pilot Wing Commander Namash Siyal.
Armenia was preparing to purchase 12 Tejas aircraft from India for approximately $1.2 billion (₹10,000 crore). The deal was in its final stages. This could have been Tejas’s first foreign deal.
However, there has been no official statement from the Armenian government on this matter. The Indian government has also not yet commented on this report.
Four features of Tejas set it apart from others
Currently, the top fighter jets in the Indian Air Force fleet include the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, Rafale, Mirage, MiG-29, and Tejas. Tejas is unique and distinct from the other four fighter jets because of these features…
First: 50% of the aircraft’s components, i.e., machinery, are manufactured in India.
Second: This aircraft is equipped with the Israeli EL/M-2052 radar, a modern technology. This enables Tejas to track and engage 10 targets simultaneously.
Third: The ability to take off from a very short runway, i.e., a 460-meter runway.
Fourth: This fighter jet is the lightest of all four, weighing only 6500 kg.
The Tejas jet is designed to replace the Indian Air Force’s aging MiG-21 aircraft. To date, the Air Force has received only 40 Tejas aircraft in the first tranche.
Now, an advanced version of the Tejas, the A1, is being developed, incorporating several modern features. Many of its systems have been developed by Israeli companies.
The Tejas A1 will be equipped with Israeli company IAI-Elta’s AESA radar, electronic warfare systems, and a new helmet-mounted display from Elbit. The aircraft will also be equipped with Rafael-made Derby missiles.
PM Modi himself has flown a Tejas fighter plane. He flew it on November 25, 2022. This was the first flight by an Indian Prime Minister in a fighter plane.
How the Dubai Air Show Accident Happened
On Friday afternoon, around 2:10 pm (3:40 pm IST), an aerial display was underway on the final day of the Dubai Air Show. The Indian Air Force’s Tejas fighter aircraft was performing a low-altitude maneuver.
Then suddenly, its altitude dropped, and within seconds, the aircraft crashed to the ground. The aircraft exploded and caught fire. The pilot died on the spot.
In March 2024, a Tejas also crashed in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, but the pilot ejected safely. This is the second Tejas accident in 20 months.
