Two Air Force pilots were killed after a twin-seater Jaguar fighter jet crashed near Bhanoda village in Rajasthan’s Churu district at 1.25 pm Wednesday. The plane was on a routine training mission.
There was no damage to civilian properties. An inquiry has been ordered, the Air Force said, adding it deeply regrets the loss of lives and stands “firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief”.
An IAF Jaguar Trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan, today. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries in the accident. No damage to any civil property has been reported.
IAF deeply regrets the loss of lives and…
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) July 9, 2025
This is the third Jaguar fighter jet crash this year; the first was in Haryana’s Panchkula on March 7 and the second was near Jamnagar in Gujarat on April 2.
This particular plane took off from Rajasthan’s Suratgarh Air Force base.
Jaguar Fighter Jet
The Jaguar is a twin-engine fighter-bomber in single and twin-seat variants. Widely used by the Air Force despite its vintage status, these planes have been heavily upgraded over the years.
File photo of the Indian Air Force’s Jaguar fighter jet.
India has an estimated 120 Jaguar fighter jets – spread across six squadrons – in operation.
Jaguar Fighter Jet Crashes In 2025
The plane that crashed in Gujarat in April was a twin-seater.
One of the pilots, Siddharth Yadav, was killed saving the life of the other.
READ | Jaguar Fighter Jet Crashes In Gujarat, 1 Pilot Ejects
The fighter crashed at 9.30 pm in an open field after experiencing a technical malfunction during a training mission. Yadav ensured his co-pilot ejected in time and suffered minor injuries only.
Unfortunately Yadav, who was engaged to be married, could not exit the jet in time.
Civilian casualties were, however, avoided.
READ | “Very Proud…”: Father Of Pilot Who Died In Jaguar Fighter Jet Crash
Siddharth’s father, Sushil Yadav, spoke of his pride in his son. He told NDTV, “I am very proud… he lost his life while saving another. But it is also a matter of grief as he was my only son.”
The first Jaguar fighter jet crash this year was on March 7.
A plane from the Air Force base in Punjab’s Ambala went down afer a system malfunction. The pilot ejected safely after making sure the plane would not crash into a civilian area.
With input from agencies
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