India Bids Farewell to MiG-21, IAF’s Legendary Warhorse

Chandigarh skies turned into a canvas of history today as six MiG-21 Bison jets roared into the air at noon, led by Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh (call sign Badal 3). On landing, a water cannon salute marked the final bow of the iconic fighter, closing a six-decade-long chapter in the Indian Air Force.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 – the battle-tested jet that flew in four wars with Pakistan and trained generations of IAF pilots – made its last operational sortie, dipping its wings in a gesture both sombre and celebratory.

Flying in formation alongside the Air Chief was Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, India’s seventh woman fighter pilot, who took off from Rajasthan’s Bikaner to join the historic farewell. “This aircraft deserved more than one goodbye,” she said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with senior military leadership, was present for the moment. “The MiG-21 is not merely a machine but a symbol of the deep strategic partnership between India and Russia,” he said, adding, “When we bid it farewell today, we close a chapter that will be remembered in golden letters in the history of military aviation.”

Globally, more than 11,500 MiG-21s were produced; the IAF operated 850 of them – a testament, the Defence Minister noted, to their “popularity, credibility and multi-dimensional capability.”

Since their induction in April 1963, the MiG-21s became the backbone of the IAF, giving rise to the nickname “MiG Air Force” when five variants – MiG-21, 23, 25, 27, and 29 – were in service together. Built under license in India by HAL, the aircraft not only bolstered the country’s air power but also advanced indigenous aerospace manufacturing.

Simple yet powerful, affordable yet lethal, the MiG-21 became more than just a fighter jet – it became an emblem of national pride, a warhorse that defended Indian skies for over six decades.

Dhruv Yadav, Chandigarh