Indian Air Force Officially Retires MiG-21 Fighter Jets

The Indian Air Force (IAF) today officially retired its MiG-21 fighter jets, closing a chapter that spanned more than 60 years in the country’s military aviation.

A ceremony was held on September 26 at Chandigarh Air Base, where the first MiG-21 was inducted in 1963. Six MiG-21s were ceremonially switched off, and a commemorative stamp was released to honor its service.

The event featured a final demonstration flight and a ceremonial flypast led by Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh. A joint flypast of MiG-21s and indigenous LCA Tejas fighters highlighted India’s transition to newer platforms.

Defence minister Rajnath Singh described the aircraft as a “bird of all seasons” and a “symbol of India’s rise in military aviation,” recalling its role in the 1971 war, the Kargil conflict, the Balakot airstrike, and Operation Sindoor. He added that the jet’s legacy would inspire indigenous projects like the LCA-Tejas and the upcoming Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).

India inducted over 1,000 MiG-21s, with about 850 serving in the IAF. Some were produced under license by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Globally, more than 11,500 MiG-21s were built.

The MiG-21 was long regarded as the backbone of the IAF but it faced safety concerns in recent years. Since January 2021, six aircraft were lost in crashes, killing five pilots. A 2022 accident in Rajasthan that killed two officers was a turning point in the decision to retire the fleet.

The jets are being replaced by a mix of Su-30MKIs, MiG-29s, French Rafales, and eventually the domestic LCA Mk1A.

In 2024, the Croatian Air Force also ended its operations with the MiG-21 jet, transitioning to Rafale fighters.