After an illustrious 62-year service history, the Indian Air Force’s legendary MiG-21 fighter jet is set to receive a ceremonial farewell in September 2025, marking the end of an era in India’s military aviation. Originally inducted into the IAF in 1963, the MiG-21 “Vikram” quickly earned a reputation for its agility, speed, and dependability, becoming India’s first supersonic combat aircraft.
Over the decades, the MiG-21 played a pivotal role in shaping the nation’s air defence, dominating the skies across every major conflict, including the wars of 1965, 1971, the Kargil conflict of 1999, and even the Balakot operations in 2019.
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At the peak of its deployment, over 850 MiG-21s were operated by the IAF, out of which nearly 600 were produced indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), reflecting India’s growing expertise in aeronautical engineering.
The aircraft boasted a record of both operational excellence and resilience, with its pilots regarded among the most skilled in handling the demanding airframe.
However, as the decades advanced, the aging platform became increasingly difficult to maintain and garnered notoriety for its association with frequent and sometimes fatal crashes, earning grim nicknames such as the “flying coffins”
Despite these challenges, its retirement was repeatedly postponed due to delays in the induction of modern replacements like the indigenous TEJAS, compelling the IAF to keep the aircraft flying far beyond its intended life span.
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Now, the final curtain is set to fall. The last squadron operating the MiG-21—23 Squadron “Panthers”—will retire the type at a ceremonial event at the Chandigarh airbase on September 19, 2025. This milestone brings to a close the chapter of a workhorse that not only safeguarded Indian skies but also shaped generations of fighter pilots.
However, the MiG-21’s departure highlights a growing concern: the IAF’s fighter squadron strength will drop to just 29, its lowest level since the 1960s, potentially impacting combat readiness until newer platforms like TEJAS and the MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft) programme can shore up numbers.
The retirement of the MiG-21 is thus both a sombre farewell to a storied legend and a call to expedite the modernisation of India’s air combat capabilities.
Based On ET News Report
Agencies
