Two Indian Pilots Killed After Jaguar Jet Crashes During Training

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots were killed on Wednesday after a Jaguar trainer jet crashed during a routine training mission in Rajasthan, a state in western India.

The aircraft went down near Ratangarh town in Churu district. Police teams responded immediately, launching search and rescue efforts in the area.

There was initial uncertainty over the fate of the pilots. Later in the day, the IAF confirmed both had died in the crash.

“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,” the Indian Air Force posted on X.

A court of inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the crash.

This marks the second Jaguar crash involving the IAF in 2025. In April, another Jaguar aircraft crashed during a similar training flight near the Jamnagar Air Force Station in Gujarat, western India. That aircraft went down in an open field near Suvarda village, about 12 kilometers from Jamnagar city.

In that incident, one pilot ejected safely, while the other was found dead by local villagers.

The Jaguar, originally developed by Anglo-French manufacturers, has been in Indian service since the late 1970s. It is used primarily for ground-attack roles and continues to operate after upgrades, despite a history of accidents.