Indian MiG-27 fighter jet crashes in Jodhpur

JODHPUR (92 News) – An Indian Air Force MiG-27 fighter jet crashed in Southern Rajasthan's Sirohi area on Sunday. According to the Indian media, the MiG 27 UPG aircraft took off from Uttarlai Air Force base in Barmer. The pilot reported an engine problem and ejected at around 11:45am in Godana near Sheoganj in Sirohi, about 120 km south of Jodhpur. However, the pilot ejected safely. Since January, the Indian Air Force has lost one Jaguar fighter-bomber, two MiG-27 UPGs, two Hawk fighters, a Mirage 2000 and a MiG-21 Bison fighter. Pakistan had downed two Indian aircraft on Feb 27, at least one of which was a MiG-21 Bison. The loss had triggered Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to say the results of the dogfight would have been different if India had inducted Rafale fighter jets into its air force – a comment seen as a veiled swipe at the MiG-21. An Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was arrested by troops and later released by the government as a gesture of peace intended to defuse soaring tensions with New Delhi. Despite both countries moving to de-escalate the situation, their respective air forces and armies remain operationally deployed.