Jaipur, July 9, 2025 – A tragic incident claimed the lives of two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots when a Jaguar fighter jet crashed in an agricultural field near Bhanuda village, Churu district, Rajasthan, during a routine training mission.
The twin-seater Jaguar, which took off from Suratgarh airbase, went down around 1:25 pm IST, according to Rajaldesar Station House Officer Kamlesh. Eyewitnesses reported a loud explosion and thick black smoke, with debris scattered across a 200-foot radius. No civilian property was damaged, and the IAF has expressed deep regret, stating it stands with the bereaved families. A court of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause, with initial reports suggesting a possible technical malfunction, a recurring issue with the aging Jaguar fleet.
This marks the third Jaguar crash in 2025, following incidents in Panchkula, Haryana, on March 7, where the pilot ejected safely, and near Jamnagar, Gujarat, on April 2, where one pilot died. The IAF operates around 121 Jaguars, inducted in the late 1970s and upgraded over time, but concerns persist about their operational safety as over 30 crashes have been reported in the past decade. The IAF plans to phase them out by 2031, replacing them with modern aircraft like the HAL Tejas Mk1A.
In a separate aviation incident, a preliminary report on the June Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 241 of 242 onboard and others on the ground, is expected by Friday. Investigators are focusing on the movement of the plane’s fuel control switches, with no immediate evidence of mechanical failure.
