Soviet-era fighter jet crashes in India; pilot killed

NEW DELHI – An Indian air force MiG-21 fighter jet crashed in a village field in northern India on Wednesday, killing its pilot.

Air Force spokesman Anupam Banerjee said the plane had taken off for a routine flight from a northern air base in Pathankot.

The cause of the accident was not immediately known.

In June, a Russian-designed Sukhoi fighter jet crashed during a test flight ahead of its induction into the Indian air force.

In recent years, the Indian air force has suffered a series of crashes of helicopters and MiG aircraft acquired from the former Soviet Union. The government said that the accidents were caused by human error and mechanical problems.

India was a key customer for Russian weapons during the Soviet era, purchasing military hardware worth billions of dollars during the Cold War as the United States tilted toward India’s rival Pakistan. In recent years, India has moved closer to the United States, but its strategic partnership with Russia has endured.