Big setback for India as Armenia halts negotiations to purchase Tejas jets, decision made after Dubai crash

The incident occurred during an aerial display on the final day of the Dubai Air Show.

New Delhi: 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 21, killing Indian pilot Wing Commander Namash Siyal.

Armenia was preparing to purchase 12 Tejas aircraft from India for approximately $1.2 billion (Rs 10,000 crore). The deal was in its final stages, which 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.

Why is Tejas special?

Currently, the top fighter jets in the Indian Air Force (IAF) 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 its distinct features.

Most of the aircraft’s components are manufactured in India. It is equipped with the Israeli EL/M-2052 radar, a modern technology, which enables Tejas to track and engage 10 targets simultaneously.

The Tejas can take off from a very short runway, i.e., about a 460-meter runway, and its weight is only 6500 kg.

The Tejas crash at the Dubai Air Show

An Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas fighter jet crashed on Friday, 21 November 2025, during a demonstration at the Dubai Air Show, at around 2:10 pm local time.

The incident occurred during an aerial display on the final day of the Dubai Air Show. The Tejas fighter aircraft was performing a low-altitude manoeuvre. The aircraft suddenly lost altitude, and within seconds, it crashed to the ground. The aircraft exploded and caught fire. The pilot, Wing Commander Namash Siyal, died on the spot.