One pilot died and two suffered injuries as two Surya Kiran aircraft collided mid-air during a complex mid-air manoeuvre and crashed to the ground.
This incident happened a day before the Aero India show begins at the Yalahanka airbase in north Bengaluru tomorrow.
The accident occurred 10 minutes before noon, during a rehearsal session.
Director General of Police, Fire Services M N Reddi informed that there were three pilots out of which one has died and the other two are injured.
The injured pilots have been admitted to the Command Hospital.
The Indian Air Force has ordered an investigation into the incident.
While a video showed the two jets crashing down, another captured thick and black smoke billowing from the airbase. The aircraft crashed into a busy area in ISRO Layout of the Yalahanka New Town in northern Bengaluru.
Police have cordoned off the area around the burning jets.
Union defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in Bengaluru, has rushed to the Yelahaka airbase.
The Aero India show, a biennial event, is scheduled to be held from 20 and 24 February this year. The previous show was held in February 2017.
The inaugural Aero India show was held in Bengaluru in 1996.
Business delegates from all over the world, official delegations from more than ten countries would witness the flypast and aerobatics. The previous show featured 72 aircraft while this one has only 61 aircraft.
However, there are notable attractions including the B-52 Stratofortress bombers that are assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. Also, US Naval assets such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet will be on display at the air show. This is part of strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.
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