Squadron Leader Lokendra Singh Sindhu (31) and Flight Lieutenant Rishi Raj Singh (23) lost their lives in a tragic Jaguar fighter bomber crash on Wednesday.
Squadron Leader Sindhu hailed from Rohtak, Haryana, and Flight Lieutenant Singh from Rajasthan's Pali. Indian Air Force lost two of its young officers in Rajasthan's Churu district after the two-seater fighter jet went down, yesterday.
Squadron Leader Sindhu was commissioned into the force in 2016, had become a father just a month before the crash, and resumed duty on 30 June.
Jaguar was inducted into IAF since 1979, and this low-altitude fighter bomber is currently operated solely by the Indian Air Force.
What’s alarming is that this was the third Jaguar crash since the beginning of 2025. These twin-seat bombers have been retired globally, but still, operational in India, and it is to be noted there are over 100 Jaguars in IAF's service, designating it as the "Shamsheer".
It is expected that the IAF will also start to phase out its older Jaguar models, but it has been forced to keep using the Jaguars due to delays in the delivery of the HAL Tejas Mk2, Rafale, and other multi-role fighter aircrafts.
Also Read: Both IAF pilots killed as Jaguar crashes in Rajasthan
IAF's statement -
"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 stands firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief. A court of inquiry has been constituted, to ascertain the cause of the accident," the IAF said in a statement.
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