In November 2025, a Tejas Light Combat Aircraft crashed at the Dubai Airshow, killing Wing Commander Namansh Syal. Official inquiries are ongoing and no confirmed cause has been announced yet. In the wake of the crash, a newspaper advertisement offering a very low monthly 'training stipend' (under $390 / ~?35,000) for fighter pilot candidates went viral on social media. The post sparked claims that pilot pay is too low, fueling concerns about morale and potential impact on performance. Critics and opposition figures are calling for a parliamentary inquiry, citing anonymous online testimonies alleging unequal allowances between pilots of indigenous aircraft (Tejas) and imported aircraft (Rafale). Defence analysts say the controversy reveals a broader morale and policy problem rather than a single accident. Public debate has shifted from technical causes of the crash to how India values and compensates its fighter pilots.