Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the MiG-21 is not merely an aircraft but a shining example of the deep relations between India and Russia. He hailed the legendary jet as a “mighty machine, national pride and defence shield” that shaped the nation’s confidence and inspired generations of air warriors.“We have a deep attachment to it. For a long time, MiG-21 has been a witness to numerous heroic deeds. Its contribution has not been limited to a single event or a single war,” Singh said at the decommissioning ceremony of the aircraft at Chandigarh Air Force Station.Recalling its role in the 1971 war, the Kargil conflict, the Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor, he added, “Whenever there have been historic missions, every time the MiG-21 enhanced the honour of the tricolour. Therefore, this farewell is also of our collective memories, of our national pride, and of that journey in which the story of courage, sacrifice and excellence has been written.”
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The ceremony marked the culmination of operations of the Russian-origin fighter jet, whose induction in the early 1960s catapulted the IAF into the jet age. The last of the MiG-21s, belonging to the Number 23 Squadron “Panthers,” were given a ceremonial farewell. Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flew the last sortie of the Squadron with the call sign Badal 3.The event featured a spectacular display by IAF’s elite skydiving team Akash Ganga, who leapt from 8,000 feet, followed by a majestic flypast in three-aircraft Badal and four-aircraft Panther formations. The Surya Kiran aerobatic team also enthralled the audience with breathtaking manoeuvres, while the air warrior drill team performed with precision before an aerial salute to the retiring jet.Several dignitaries, including former IAF chiefs S P Tyagi and B S Dhanoa and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, were present.The MiG-21 was the first supersonic fighter inducted into the IAF, and over 870 were procured to strengthen combat power. They served as the backbone of the force for decades and played a decisive role in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Balakot airstrike.However, the aircraft also had a chequered history, being involved in multiple crashes over the years, which often raised questions about its safety record. Despite this, the MiG-21 remains etched in history as the IAF’s trusted workhorse.In a recent post on X, the IAF paid tribute to the retiring aircraft, writing: “Six decades of service, countless tales of courage, a warhorse that carried pride of a nation into the skies.”The ceremony marked the culmination of operations of the Russian-origin fighter jet, whose induction in the early 1960s catapulted the IAF into the jet age. The last of the MiG-21s, belonging to the Number 23 Squadron “Panthers,” were given a ceremonial farewell. Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flew the last sortie of the Squadron with the call sign Badal 3.The event featured a spectacular display by IAF’s elite skydiving team Akash Ganga, who leapt from 8,000 feet, followed by a majestic flypast in three-aircraft Badal and four-aircraft Panther formations. The Surya Kiran aerobatic team also enthralled the audience with breathtaking manoeuvres, while the air warrior drill team performed with precision before an aerial salute to the retiring jet.Several dignitaries, including former IAF chiefs S P Tyagi and B S Dhanoa and Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, were present.The MiG-21 was the first supersonic fighter inducted into the IAF, and over 870 were procured to strengthen combat power. They served as the backbone of the force for decades and played a decisive role in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Balakot airstrike.However, the aircraft also had a chequered history, being involved in multiple crashes over the years, which often raised questions about its safety record. Despite this, the MiG-21 remains etched in history as the IAF’s trusted workhorse.In a recent post on X, the IAF paid tribute to the retiring aircraft, writing: “Six decades of service, countless tales of courage, a warhorse that carried pride of a nation into the skies.”
