Farewell to The MiG-21: India’s Trusted Warbird for Over Six Decades

MiG-21 (Mikoyam-Gurevich) is a supersonic jet fighter and interceptor aircraft. Designed by the Soviet Union it is set to retire after 62 years of service for the Indian Air Force (IAF). It played a crucial role in the 1965 and 1971 wars. It was also significant in the 1999 Kargil war, 2019 Balakot Strikes, and 2025 Operation Sindoor.

The Grand Farewell

The decommissioning ceremony was held at Chandigarh Air Force station from where the first flight took place in 1963.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was invited as the chief guest. He described MiG-21 as a mighty machine and a national pride. There is a deep attachment to the aircraft that shaped our confidence. Worldwide, 11,500 aircrafts were manufactured. India accounts for more than 850 of them.

Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flew the sortie of MiG-21 Bison aircraft. The culmination of MiG-21 operations took place with a ceremonial fly past and decommissioning event. This marked the closure of a historic chapter in India’s air power. The ceremony began with the arrival of the defence minister. He was the chief guest at the occasion. The IAF’s elite skydiving team ‘Akash Ganga’ followed. They skydived from a height of 8,000 ft.

MiG-21 jets belong to number 23 Squadron. They took part in the fly past ceremony. The jets received a water cannon salute.

Pilot’s Trusted War Bird

A true workhorse may not be glamorous, but it carries the load when it matters most. The MiG-21 carries an aura. It is a Soviet-era fighter jet. It shielded India’s skies as recently as May this year during Operation Sindoor. This operation was its swansong. Second-generation fighter, designed in the 1950s, shared airspace with the Dassault Rafale—a 4.5-generation multirole jet—among the most advanced in the world today. The jets inspired fierce loyalty among India’s fighter pilots.

For over six decades, the MiG-21 remained the backbone of the Indian Air Force.

In the 1965 Indo-Pak War, the MiG-21 was newly inducted. It provided crucial air defence through combat patrols. The aircraft gained vital experience despite limited numbers and no kills. By 1971, it turned decisive: MiG-21s downed PAF F-104s in supersonic dogfights, and cratered Dhaka’s Tezgaon airfield.

During Operation Safed Sagar, the MiG-21 flew alongside Mirage 2000s. This operation was IAF’s support to the Indian Army’s Operation Vijay during the 1999 Kargil War. It also flew with MiG-29s. It also flew with MiG-23s, MiG-27s, and Jaguars. These aircraft delivered punishing strikes in the world’s harshest combat terrain in the Himalayas.

It even had a kill to its name as recently as 2019, when Group Captain (then Wing Commander) Abhinandan Varathman shot down a Pakistani F-16 with its latest version, the MiG-21 Bison. The US-made F-16 is a fourth-generation fighter jet and shooting it down with a MiG-21 Bison was no mean feat. It spoke of both the pilot’s skill and the MiG-21’s prowess.

IAF Future Plans

The IAF also plans to upgrade fleet with the induction of 97 Tejas aircraft. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has inked a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). This deal is for 97 LCA Mk1A aircraft which includes 68 fighters and 29 Twin Seaters. It also includes associated equipment for the Air Force (IAF) at ₹62,370 Cr.

Also read: HAL prepares to meet Indian Air Force Delivery Schedules for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1A

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