Chandigarh, September 27: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will on Friday retire its MiG-21 jets, the Soviet-era fighter that ushered the service into the supersonic age more than six decades ago, marking the end of an era for generations of pilots who flew the aircraft in war and peace.
The last of the aircraft, belonging to No. 23 Squadron, known as the “Panthers,” will take part in a decommissioning ceremony at the Chandigarh Air Force Station. Six former chiefs of the IAF are expected to attend the farewell, where the jets will roar in Indian skies one final time.
Inducted in the early 1960s, the MiG-21 became the backbone of the IAF, serving in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, the 1999 Kargil conflict, and the 2019 Balakot strike. More than 60 years after its arrival, it remains India’s longest-serving combat aircraft.
Former air chief A.Y. Tipnis, who commanded a MiG-21 squadron in 1977 and later oversaw operations during the Kargil war, recalled the challenges of flying the jet when it was first introduced. “There were no trainers, no simulators, and the cockpit markings were all in Russian,” he said in a podcast released by the IAF. “It taught us how to be innovative and produce results.”
Veterans hailed the jet’s adaptability, noting how the IAF converted the high-altitude interceptor into a low-level strike aircraft. “For over six decades, the MiG-21 has been an icon, a trusted companion, and a proving ground for generations of fighter pilots,” said Air Commodore (retd) Nitin Sathe.
Despite its celebrated service record, the aircraft was also plagued by frequent crashes, earning it the grim moniker of “flying coffin” in popular discourse. Some veterans reject the label, arguing it diminishes the sacrifices of pilots and their families.
The current IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, marked the aircraft’s swansong last month with solo sorties at Nal air base. On Friday, the “Panthers” will fly into history, closing the chapter on a fighter that gave India what one former chief called “wings it never had before.”
