Fighter Pilot Parachutes To Ground Before Jet Crash—Video

A fighter pilot was forced to eject from an Indian jet in the western state of Rajasthan, a video shows.

It was the first time one of India's indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) had crashed. Reports say the plane had taken off from Jaisalmer air base and had been taking part in the country's inaugural Bharat Shakti ("India power") exercise, which was observed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The air base, which does not currently have a full-fledged squadron, was reportedly hosting a contingent of three Tejas aircraft for the exercise.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) issued a statement saying the aircraft crashed during an "operational training sortie."

"The pilot ejected safely. A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident," the IAF said.

The Tejas aircraft crashed into the compound of a student hostel on the outskirts of Jaisalmer. There were no reports of any injuries. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear although initial reports suggested engine failure may have been responsible according to Indian media outlet The Print.

Manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the multi-role Tejas had yet to suffer a crash before Tuesday's mishap. It entered service in 2016 following its first test flight back in 2001. The aircraft has proved reliable after having been beset by design and other challenges during it development phase. It was once rejected by the Indian Navy as too heavy, according to Reuters.

The Indian Air Force currently operates 40 Tejas MK-1 aircraft. The Indian Navy operates a twin-seater variant of the aircraft.

In October 2020 a Tejas experienced a sudden loss of cockpit pressurization at high altitude. It rapidly lost altitude and violently pitched up and down but its pilot managed to regain control and land the aircraft, according to The Print.

The Indian government in 2021 gave a $6 billion contract to state-owned HAL for 83 Tejas jets. New Delhi is making a push for the indigenization of its defense industry in a bid to reduce dependence on Russia, its traditional arms supplier.

The tri-service Bharat Shakti exercise aimed to demonstrate the capabilities of Indian-made military systems, including the Tejas. Last year Modi outlined plans to more than triple the value of India's annual defense exports to $5 billion by 2025 from 2023 levels and his government has been making diplomatic efforts to export the Tejas.