New Delhi, Jul 29: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is poised to bid farewell to its last operational MiG-21 fighter aircraft on September 19, bringing an end to an era that spans over six decades of frontline military aviation, according to a report by India Today. The final ceremonial flight will be conducted by the 23 Squadron, famously known as the Panthers, from the Chandigarh airbase — a moment that marks the closure of an iconic chapter in India’s defense narrative.
Originally engineered by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the former Soviet Union, the MiG-21 made its inaugural flight in 1955. It entered Indian service in 1963, becoming the country’s first supersonic jet and rapidly establishing itself as the backbone of India’s aerial combat capability. With over 800 units inducted at the height of its deployment, India emerged as the largest global operator of the MiG-21 outside the USSR.
Throughout its distinguished tenure, the MiG-21 played an active role in all major Indian military engagements, including the wars of 1965 and 1971, the Kargil conflict of 1999, and the Balakot air strikes of 2019. It earned a formidable reputation for its agility and combat performance, notably downing multiple enemy aircraft during the 1965 and 1971 wars. Defense analysts and IAF records credit the aircraft with delivering critical air superiority in those confrontations.
In its final chapter of operational relevance, the MiG-21 gained renewed attention during the Balakot air strikes, when Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman flew a MiG-21 Bison and successfully shot down a Pakistani F-16. His capture and subsequent return across the Line of Control became a defining moment in contemporary Indo-Pak military history.
However, the aircraft’s legacy has been marred by an alarming safety record. Since its induction, the MiG-21 has been involved in numerous accidents, claiming the lives of over 200 pilots and more than 50 civilians. Of the 840 aircraft manufactured in India between 1966 and 1984, more than half were lost to crashes, earning the aircraft the somber nickname “flying coffin.” Persistent challenges such as structural fatigue, outdated systems, and the deteriorating quality of replacement components have been widely acknowledged as contributing factors. The issue was propelled into mainstream awareness by the 2006 Bollywood film Rang De Basanti, which dramatized the dangers faced by pilots operating aging aircraft.
Despite these concerns, the MiG-21 underwent multiple phases of modernization, with the Bison variant emerging as the most advanced and final iteration to serve in the IAF. Its scheduled retirement underscores the evolving landscape of Indian air power, as contemporary fighter platforms like the indigenous Tejas and the French-origin Rafale now take precedence in safeguarding Indian airspace.
The decommissioning of the MiG-21 marks not only the conclusion of a historic aircraft’s operational journey but also reflects India’s transition towards a more modern and technologically advanced air force.
IAF bows out to MiG-21, Icon of Indian Air Power since 1963 set to retire on Sept 19
