Defence Ministry Rebuts ‘Fake’ Claims On LCA Tejas At Dubai Air Show

The Ministry of Defence issued a firm rebuttal on Thursday to social media claims alleging an ‘oil leakage’ from India’s LCA Tejas during the Dubai Air Show 2025, calling the videos ‘fake’ and ‘deliberately misleading’.

The Ministry stated that certain accounts were attempting to undermine the aircraft’s reliability by spreading fabricated narratives online.

In its detailed clarification posted on X, the Ministry stated that the circulating visuals show the normal draining of condensed water from the Environmental Control System (ECS) and the On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS).

According to officials, this is a standard and intentional procedure for aircraft operating in humid regions such as Dubai. The Ministry also shared screenshots of posts that carried the misleading claims to highlight how misinformation was being propagated.

India Showcases Defence Strength at Dubai Air Show

India presented a broad spectrum of defence and aerospace capabilities at the Dubai Air Show 2025, held from 17–18 November.

The Indian Air Force’s Suryakiran Aerobatic Team and the indigenous LCA Tejas were among the highlights, drawing considerable attention from international delegates.

Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth led the Indian delegation, comprising senior representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of External Affairs, and the Armed Forces.

During the exhibition, Minister Seth held bilateral discussions with his UAE counterpart to explore deeper defence cooperation.

He also chaired an industry roundtable attended by nearly 50 companies from India, the UAE, the US, Australia, Brazil, the UK, and Italy.

The meeting focused on strengthening defence technology collaboration and expanding manufacturing opportunities under India’s growing defence ecosystem.

The Minister further inaugurated the India Pavilion, which featured displays from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, DRDO, Corel Technologies, Dantal Hydraulics, Image Synergy Ekzplor, and SFO Technologies.

Additionally, 19 Indian companies, including Bharat Forge, BrahMos, Tech Mahindra, and HBL Engineering, showcased their products independently, while 15 start-ups presented innovations.

The biennial Dubai Air Show, one of the world’s premier aerospace exhibitions, hosted over 1,500 exhibitors and more than 1,48,000 industry experts from 150 countries.

Major global players such as Bombardier, Dassault Aviation, Embraer, Airbus, Thales, Lockheed Martin, and Calidus were among the key participants.

The Defence Ministry emphasised that the misinformation surrounding Tejas did not reflect the aircraft’s performance or reception at the event, reiterating India’s confidence in its indigenous fighter programme.

Also Read: PIB Warns Public Against Fake RBI Voicemail Threatening Bank Account Block