Armenia has halted the planned procurement of India’s Tejas fighter jets following the recent crash of the aircraft at the Dubai Airshow, where the pilot lost his life. According to international media reports, negotiations between Armenia and India were underway for the purchase of 12 Tejas jets worth 1.2 billion dollars. Had the deal gone through, it would have marked the first major export contract for India’s Tejas combat aircraft.

Reports further reveal that Armenia’s withdrawal from the deal will also cause significant losses for Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), which had supplied several advanced components for the Tejas jets, including Israeli-manufactured radar systems. The cancellation is expected to cost IAI tens of millions of dollars.

It is noteworthy that on 21 November, during a flight demonstration at the Dubai Airshow, an Indian Tejas fighter jet crashed, resulting in the death of the pilot. Following the incident, concerns regarding the aircraft’s safety and operational reliability reportedly prompted Armenia to suspend the acquisition.