India, Feb. 6 -- A Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft crashed near Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday following a "system malfunction", the Indian Air Force (IAF) said.

Two pilots, who were on the fighter aircraft during a routine training sortie, ejected safely, according to a statement issued by the IAF.

"The twin-seater Mirage 2000 crashed around 2.30 pm on Thursday near Sunari Chowki in Narwar Tehsil. The plane crashed within a few minutes after it took off from Maharjpura airbase in Gwalior," Gwalior inspector general (IG) of police Arvind Saxena said.

Saxena added that the pilots were taken to a hospital in an IAF chopper.

A probe into the accident involving the French-origin plane has been ordered.

The IAF operates around 50 Mir...