A fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed in the northeastern state of Assam during a training mission, officials confirmed on Friday. The aircraft had taken off from the Jorhat airbase but later lost contact with ground control before going down in a remote area. According to reports, both pilots on board were killed in the accident.
The Indian Air Force said the aircraft was a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jet that had taken off from Jorhat on Thursday evening for a routine training flight.
An IAF Su-30 MKI is reported overdue. The aircraft had taken off from Jorhat, Assam and was last in contact at 7.42 pm.
Further details are being ascertained. Search and Rescue mission has been initiated.@DefenceMinIndia@SpokespersonMoD@HQ_IDS_India@adgpi@Indiannavy— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 5, 2026
In an earlier update on social media platform X, the Air Force had reported that the aircraft was “overdue” after it failed to return at the expected time. Officials said the jet was last in contact with ground control at around 7:42 pm.
Soon after communication was lost, search and rescue teams were launched to locate the aircraft. The wreckage was later found in Karbi Anglong district, about 60 kilometres from Jorhat.
IAF acknowledges the loss of Sqn Ldr Anuj and Flt Lt Purvesh Duragkar, who sustained fatal injuries in the Su-30 crash. All personnel of the IAF express sincere condolences, and stand firmly with the bereaved family in this time of grief.@DefenceMinIndia@SpokespersonMoD… pic.twitter.com/zUtfUJ2ewr
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) March 6, 2026
The Indian Air Force confirmed the deaths of the two pilots in a statement shared on X. According to the IAF, Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar sustained fatal injuries when their jet crashed. The air force expressed condolences over the loss of the two officers and said further details regarding the incident would be investigated.
Local residents in the area said they heard a loud noise and what sounded like an explosion in the evening. Some people also reported seeing the aircraft going down near a hilly and forested area close to the Nilip block. Police and rescue teams later reached the area and began search operations with the help of helicopters.
The Sukhoi-30MKI is a two-seat, long-range fighter jet developed by Russia’s Sukhoi and built in India under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. It is one of the main aircraft used by the Indian Air Force and forms a major part of its fighter fleet.
The Indian Air Force operates more than 260 of these jets across different bases in the country.
Past Incidents
This is not the first time such an aircraft has been involved in an accident. In recent years, a Sukhoi-30MKI crashed in Nashik district of Maharashtra in June 2024, while another accident involving the aircraft was reported near the Gwalior airbase in 2023.
The air force has also faced other aviation incidents in recent months. Earlier this year, some Tejas Mark-1 aircraft were temporarily grounded for safety checks after an accident, and another Tejas jet crash was reported during an air show in Dubai in November.
