IAF AN-32 ditches in West Bengal's Bagdogra after Jaguar crash in Haryana

Earlier today , an IAF AN-32 transport aircraft ditched in West Bengal's Bagdora, although pilots and crew have manged to escape tragedy.

Crashed IAF's AN-32 transport aircraft

Today is the third occasion when we have lost two of aircraft on same day. Other two were midairs. First of two Hawks during Aero India practice in Feb 2019, second time near Gwalior, in Jan 2023. These are two separate accidents today.

crash site location

The Indian Air Force is forced to operate aging Jaguars and AN-32s while other countries have retired them. Procurement delays—from the government to authorities—keep risking lives. How long before action replaces excuses is a big question on the part of IAF and indian government.

Decision-making delays and bureaucracy have indeed slowed progress. At the same time, HAL has made strides with Tejas, LCH, and LUH. Maybe the real issue is aligning priorities and streamlining procurement to ensure our forces get the best equipment on time.