Indian Air Force’s MiG-21 fighters retire after 62 years

The Indian Air Force on Friday retired its fleet of Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jets after 62 years of service.

The farewell ceremony in Chandigarh was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan and the three service chiefs.

Singh said that the MiG-21 is deeply embedded in the memories and emotions of the country.

“For all of us, this is not just a fighter jet, but rather a family member with whom we have a deep attachment,” Singh said.

He added: “The MiG-21 has shaped our confidence, strengthened our strategy, and helped us establish ourselves on the global stage. In such a long journey, this fighter jet has faced every challenge and proved its capability every time.”

The Soviet-era jets played a crucial role in the 1971 and 1999 wars between India and Pakistan, and became the workhorse of the Air Force.

More than 850 MiG-21s of several variants were inducted by the Air Force over the decades, a majority of them built domestically by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

While other variants were gradually withdrawn over the years, the upgraded Bison was the last to retire on Friday.

The Indian Air Force is the last major air force to use the MiG-21.

Despite forming the backbone of the IAF fleet, the Mig-21 came to be known...

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