IAF Su-30MKI Fighter Jet Crashed At Approx 60 Kms After Takeoff From Jorhat; Search Operation Underway

An Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighter aircraft has been reported overdue after taking off from Jorhat in Assam, with its last communication recorded at 7:42 pm, according to an official statement posted by the force.

File Photo: IAF

The aircraft lost contact shortly after departure and further details about its status and crew are still being verified. A Search and Rescue (SAR) operation has been launched to locate the jet, the IAF said. 

The Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a twin-engine multirole fighter that forms a key part of India’s combat fleet and is produced under licence in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. 

Authorities said additional information will be released once more details about the aircraft’s last known position and the ongoing search operation are confirmed.

UPDATE (1) at 1:15 am; Friday, 6 March 2026: The Indian Air Force said that the Su-30MKI which was on a training mission, crashed in the area of Karbi Anglong, Assam, approx 60 km from Jorhat. Search operations are underway.

UPDATE (2) at 12:32 pm; Friday, 6 March 2026: In an update to the earlier alert, the Indian Air Force confirmed that two pilots were killed after a Su-30MKI fighter jet crashed in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district during a training mission shortly after taking off from the Jorhat airbase. The pilots were identified as Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar, with the aircraft having lost communication at 7:42 pm before crashing in a remote hilly area roughly 60 kilometres from Jorhat. Local residents reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing a ball of fire from the hills where the Russian-origin twin-seat fighter went down. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was “deeply saddened” by the loss, paying tribute to the pilots’ service and expressing solidarity with their families.

This was a developing news, and is now closed.