Indian Air Force’s MiG fighter jet crashes in Rajasthan

A MiG-27 aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed on Sunday near Jodhpur in Rajasthan, local media reported.

The MiG-27 UPG fighter jet was on a routine mission, official sources said.

It crashed in Godana near Sheoganj in Sirohi, about 180km from Jodhpur.

The MiG-27 is a Soviet-era ground-attack aircraft that India bought in the early 1980s.

Only last month, a MiG-21 ‘Bison’ reportedly crashed in Bikaner's Shoba Sar ki Dhani area in Rajasthan after it reportedly hit a bird. The pilot had managed to eject out of the jet.

The crashes come after tensions soared between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the February 14 suicide bombing in Pulwama, occupied Kashmir.

India piled the blame for Pulwama bombing on Pakistan without presenting any proof. The allegations were strongly refuted by Pakistan.

In response, India said it carried out on February 26 air strikes on what it called a militant training camp at Balakot inside Pakistan.

The Indian government was quick to take credit for a “successful" airstrike and put the death toll to over 300. Pakistani officials, as well as the locals, rejected the claims, inviting local and international media to visit the site of the so-called attack where around a dozen trees were the only “casualty”.

The Pakistan Air Force, in retaliatory action, downed two Indian aircraft the next day, capturing Indian Wing Commander Abhinandan who was then released as a peace gesture by Pakistan.