India Retires MiG-21 After Turbulent Service
India has retired its last MiG-21 fighter jets, closing a controversial six-decade chapter in aviation history that saw the aircraft repeatedly criticized for safety failures.
A farewell ceremony was held at Air Force Station Chandigarh, where Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh led the final flypast before grounding the jets permanently.
India was the first non-communist country to induct MiG-21s in 1963, later producing hundreds under license through Hindustan Aeronautics, making the jets the backbone of the IAF.
The aircraft played central roles in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan but also faced humiliating losses during the Kargil conflict and recent clashes.
The MiG-21 became infamous as a flying coffin after hundreds of accidents, many fatal, leading to mounting public anger over the jet’s alarming safety record.
India attempted to modernize the fleet with Bison upgrades in the 2000s, adding radars and missile capability, but these efforts failed to improve its reputation.
Globally, the MiG-21 still operates in seven countries, including North Korea and Angola, though most fleets are outdated and face uncertain operational reliability today.
With the MiG-21s now grounded, India faces a shortage of combat aircraft, heightening concerns about readiness as regional security pressures continue to grow significantly.
