From warhorse to legend: MiG-21 to bow out after 62 years in Indian skies

After more than six decades of service, which saw the combat aircraft taking part in all major Indian conflicts, the MiG 21 fighter jet is finally set to fly into the sunset, with a ceremonial farewell planned for September.

The last aircraft are part of the 23 squadron, also known as the Panthers, and will be sent off on September 19 at a ceremony planned at the Chandigarh airbase. The fighters will leave with a mixed legacy — from being the first supersonic jets that gave India an edge in the 1960s and ’70s to being plagued with accidents in later years that earned it the ‘Flying Coffin’ monicker.

With its departure — Sq 23 is being number plated — the Air Force will fall to a historic low of only 29 combat squadrons. This is the lowest combat strength the Air Force has since the 1960s — even during the 1965 war, the Air Force had 32 fighter jet squadrons.

Inducted in 1963, the fighter jets in its many variants have been in service with the Indian Air Force for 62 years and has taken part in the 1965 war against Pakistan, the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971, Kargil operations of 1999 and the Balakot strikes in 2019. Even during the ongoing Operation Sindoor, the last remaining MiG 21 squadron has been on operational alert.

“No other fighter has been associated with the IAF for as long as the MiG-21 – an incredible two-thirds of the IAF’s 93-year history is inextricably linked to this jet. It has served in every combat action since 1965, through to Op Sindoor, and has touched the career of nearly every Indian fighter pilot alive today, in some form or another. There is no doubt this will be an emotional farewell to a legend of Indian skies,” aviation expert Angad Singh said.

Sources said the farewell will see the senior Air Force leadership and veterans who have been associated with the fleet over the years, with flypasts and static displays planned to mark the occasion.

Besides holding the record for the longest-ever service in the Air Force, the MiG 21 fleet was also the biggest to be ever operated by India. In all, India acquired more than 850 aircraft of the MiG 21 family, including trainers. Almost 600 of these were made in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

While the operational life of the fighters has long been deemed to be over, the Air Force has been giving the remaining fleet life extensions as adequate modern fighter jets have not been ordered or made available to make up squadron numbers. Originally, the last few MiG 21 squadrons were supposed to be replaced by the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Mk1A) but deliveries of the indigenous fighter jets have been delayed over the years.