Reported incident: A Tejas LCA crashed at the Dubai Airshow in November 2025, reportedly killing Wing Commander Namansh Syal.
Key facts:

• A Tejas LCA crash occurred at the Dubai Airshow in November 2025.
• Wing Commander Namansh Syal was reported killed.

Controversy post-crash: A newspaper ad offering a very low monthly training stipend ($390 / ~?35,000) circulated online, fueling claims that Tejas pilots are underpaid and that morale and performance could be affected.
Correction / context: The official inquiry is ongoing and has not confirmed a cause yet.
Ongoing debate: Critics and opposition call for a parliamentary inquiry, citing anonymous online testimonies about unequal allowances between Tejas and Rafale pilots. Defence analysts caution that the issue reflects broader morale and policy challenges, not just the crash. Public debate has shifted from technical causes to how India values and compensates its fighter pilots.