An Air India Express plane bound for Sharjah was forced to make an emergency landing after a hydraulic failure was reported following take-off.

The flight, from Trichy in Tamil Nadu state to the Emirates, had 141 people on board. It returned safely to its airport of departure at 8.15pm local time (6.45pm UAE) after a 'full emergency" was declared about two hours earlier.

Ram Kinjarapu, India's Minister of Civil Aviation, praised the emergency response to the situation.

"We are relieved that the aircraft has landed safely at Trichy Airport. The crew followed all safety protocols, ensuring the well-being of every passenger during the emergency," the minister said on social media platform X.

He said the country's Directorate General of Civil Aviation had been instructed to carry out a "thorough examination of the aircraft" to determine the cause of the fault.

"In the meantime, Air India Express has been advised to provide all necessary assistance to the passengers, including alternate arrangements for their onward journey," Mr Kinjarapu said.

Air India Express is run by a fully owned division of Air India, which conglomerate Tata Group purchased from the government in 2022.

It operates more than 2,500 flights weekly across 31 domestic and 14 international airports.