Breaking: IAF Jaguar Trainer Jet Crashes in Churu, Rajasthan – Two Pilots Dead

India: An Indian Air Force (IAF) Jaguar trainer jet crashed during a routine training session in Rajasthan’s  Churu District, claiming the lives of both pilots on board. The incident occurred at around 1:25 pm (local time) on Wednesday, July 9th, near Bhanoda village of Ratangarh Tehsil, where the aircraft went down in an open agricultural field.

Local villagers reported hearing a loud explosion which was followed by a column of smoke at the site of the crash. At the scene, emergency teams which included IAF helicopters and local police units rushed in. The wreckage was dispersed over a large area and the authorities found human remains in the debris. It was confirmed a little later that the pilots died in the crash, though their identities are not yet confirmed. 

STORY | Jaguar fighter jet crashes in Rajasthan

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Ongoing investigations; No civilian casualties reported at present

Further, the Indian Air Force has ordered a court of inquiry to determine the circumstances that led to this incident. At present, preliminary assessments have reported no damage to civil property or casualties on the ground. Moreover, authorities are currently in the process of securing the site and gathering key evidence.

The affected aircraft was a two seat Jaguar fighter trainer which is part of an outdated fleet that has been in the midst of several incidents in recent years. This is the second fatal Jaguar crash within a three month period and the third of this model in 2025. In other incidents this year, one pilot died in Gujarat in April, while in March two pilots managed to eject from a similar plane safely.

In the late 1970s, the Jaguar fleet was inducted as it still serves as a key platform for ground attack and pilot training. Despite undergoing upgrades via the DARIN III programme, the issue of the long-term safety and viability of these old aircraft still exists.

In the wake of the latest tragedy which saw the loss of 2 pilots, the defense experts and former military personnel have made calls for the immediate replacement of the aging air force fleets with that of the new state-of-the-art models.