Tejas crash at Dubai Airshow 2025 sparks debate over pilot pay and morale

A Tejas Light Combat Aircraft crash at the Dubai Airshow in November 2025 killed Wing Commander Namansh Syal. After the crash, a newspaper advertisement surfaced offering a very low monthly training stipend (under $390 / ~₹35,000) for fighter pilot candidates. The ad went viral on social media and was linked by users to claims that Tejas pilots are underpaid, potentially impacting morale and performance. Critics and opposition figures are demanding a parliamentary inquiry, citing anonymous online testimonies alleging unequal allowances between pilots of indigenous aircraft Tejas and imported aircraft Rafale. Defence analysts say the issue highlights a broader morale and policy problem, not just the crash itself. The official inquiry into the Tejas crash is ongoing, with no confirmed cause yet. Public debate has shifted from technical causes of the crash to how India values and compensates its fighter pilots. Correction/Note: The official cause has not been announced; reports rely on ongoing inquiry and publicly circulated anecdotes.