Friday, 21st November, afternoon at the Dubai Airshow should have been India’s moment of pride. Instead, it became a tragedy that left us with heavy hearts and difficult questions. Wing Commander Namansh Syal, a highly skilled fighter pilot, lost his life when his Tejas Mark-1 fighter jet crashed during an aerobatic display at Al Maktoum International Airport. The jet, performing what was meant to be a spectacular eight-minute show, suddenly plunged to the ground around 2:10 pm and exploded in a massive fireball. The pilot couldn’t eject in time. Just like that, a life dedicated to serving the nation was gone, and India’s ambitious dream of becoming a global fighter jet exporter took a serious blow.

The Tejas has been flying with the Indian Air Force for ten years now, and until this horr

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