The crash of a Tejas fighter jet at the Dubai Airshow on 21 November was heartbreaking. A skilled pilot lost his life in front of thousands of spectators, and the entire nation mourned. This tragic incident has sparked fresh debates about our homegrown fighter jet. But here's what we need to understand —one accident doesn't define the worth of an entire programme that represents India's aviation dreams.

Let me be clear from the start. I believe in the Tejas, and I think every Indian should too. Not because it's perfect, but because it's ours, and because it represents something much bigger than just a fighter jet.

This was only the second crash in 24 years. Think about that for a moment. The MiG-21, which the Tejas is replacing, earned the unfortunate nickname "flying coffin" because o

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