In excellent news for the Indian Air Force (IAF), the indigenously developed LCA Tejas fleet is expected to resume air operations on Wednesday after nearly two months of grounding. The fleet was grounded in early February when a Tejas aircraft developed an issue during a landing incident.
D K Sunil, CMD of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), recently stated that all 36 Tejas planes are expected to start flying on April 8 after a software issue found in the aircraft was fixed. "A technical issue was mentioned, and groups are trying to resolve it. It was discussed by the local modification committee (LMC). The good news is that Tejas, the LMC, is completed. The fleet is expected to start flying by Wednesday.

HAL confirmed shortly after the February event that it was "not a crash" but rather a "minor technical incident on the ground".
Given the ongoing battle in West Asia and Pakistan's continuous threats following Operation Sindoor, it is critical for India to keep the Tejas squadrons combat fit. The IAF is already experiencing a squadron shortfall, with only 29 out of the 42 required for a two-front conflict with Pakistan and China.
The February incident was the third involving a Tejas aircraft since its inception in 2016. In March 2024, the fighter's first mishap occurred near Jaisalmer, when an aircraft crashed while returning after a weapons demonstration. The pilot ejected successfully.The second incident occurred in November 2025 during an aerobatic display at the Dubai Airshow. Wing Commander Namansh Syal, the pilot, died in a horrific accident.