Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Chairman and Managing Director DK Sunil said on Friday that there is “absolutely no problem” with the Tejas fighter jet, calling the recent crash in Dubai an unfortunate event. Speaking at the ANI National Security Summit, he stressed that Tejas is completely safe and maintains one of the best safety records globally, adding that the Dubai accident will not affect its future. The crash occurred on November 21 during the Dubai Air Show 2025 and resulted in the death of Wing Commander Namansh Syal. It was the second Tejas crash since the aircraft joined the Indian Air Force a decade ago; in last year’s Jaisalmer crash, the pilot managed to eject safely.

Addressing concerns that the incident might hurt HAL’s reputation, Sunil said that while people are free to share their views—especially on social media—the company has full confidence in its abilities. He explained that criticism often surfaces whenever an indigenous system is involved, but the armed forces and the industry have no doubts about HAL’s capability. He pointed to aircraft like the HTT-40 trainer and various helicopters developed by HAL as proof of its competence.

Sunil reiterated that despite critics, Tejas remains a successful and highly safe aircraft, and the Dubai crash will not influence its trajectory. On export plans, he said HAL is working toward becoming a global player in line with government policy. He added that the company already has orders for 180 Tejas jets and expects a strong export market as part of India’s growing international outreach.