MiG-21 Fighter Jets Retire After Six Decades Of Service In The Indian Air Force

The Mikoyan-Gurevich, commonly known as MiG-21 fighter jets, retired on Sept. 26 after their final flight through the Indian skies on Friday. The country's first supersonic fighter and interceptor aircraft were retired at the decommissioning event in Chandigarh, where it was first inducted.

MiG-21 has remained the backbone of the Indian Air Force's combat fleet for more than six decades. The fighter pilots flew MiG-21s in the three-aircraft Badal formation and the four-aircraft Panther formation over the skies one final time on Friday, as reported by PTI.

On the occasion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said there is a deep attachment to the aircraft that shaped our confidence. "MiG-21 is not only an aircraft or machine but also proof of deep India-Russia ties," the minister said as per PTI.

"The history of military aviation is incredible. The MiG-21 added many proud moments in our military aviation journey," Singh told the gathering.

Former IAF chiefs A Y Tipnis, S P Tyagi, and B S Dhanoa, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India's first man on the International Space Station, and scores of veterans, many who had piloted the aircraft, were present on the occasion, PTI said.

The IAF inducted over 870 MiG-21s since their first arrival, making them a mainstay of the force’s combat fleet for decades. At 12:05 p.m. on Friday, six Bison variants of the MiG-21, led by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh (call sign Badal 3), soared above Chandigarh one last time in a ceremonial flypast. The jets were honored with a water cannon salute upon landing, symbolising their final stride through Indian skies, according to NDTV.