Farewell to the MiG-21 | 29 Sep 2025

Source: IE

The Indian Air Force (IAF) bid farewell to the legendary Mikoyan-Gurevish MiG-21,  marking the end of over six decades of service and celebrating its enduring legacy in India’s defence journey.

• MiG-21: It is a single-engine, single-seater, multi-role supersonic fighter jet developed by the Soviet Union’s Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau. Initially inducted into the Indian Air Force in 1963 as an interceptor, it was later upgraded for ground attack and other fighter roles.

• Versatility: known as the “bird of all seasons”, the MiG-21 excelled as an interceptor, ground-attack aircraft, frontline air defence jet, and trainer, shaping generations of Indian fighter pilots.and shaped India’s air strategy.

• Upgrades & Adaptability: Evolved into variants like Trishul, Vikram, Badal, and Bison. MiG-21 was continuously upgraded with modern radars, avionics, and weapons.

• Legacy & Significance: The MiG-21 symbolized courage, discipline, and patriotism, inspiring platforms like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and the upcoming Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

  • It played decisive roles in the Indo-Pak War (1971) , Kargil conflict, Balakot airstrike, and Operation Sindoor.

  • However, It is also known as flying coffin due to its high rate of operational losses and crashes throughout its decades-long service.

Read more: MiG-21 Crash