None of the prime-time anchors questioned the basis of Steve’s claims, placing blind faith in his self-declared ‘expertise’. News anchors like Rajdeep Sardesai mindlessly offered a platform to Captain Steve to push his Boeing-friendly agenda and deflect scrutiny from mechanical or manufacturing issues.

The Ahmedabad accident might have been caused by the pilots’ error but this does not weaken the argument for strengthening the Indian aerospace industry. We have suffered much in the past because of our reliance on foreign airlines.