MiG-21 Bison flies last sortie with Tejas jets, closing chapter on IAF’s 6-decade-old warhorse
September 26, 2025
The MiG-21, India’s first supersonic fighter jet and one of the most recognisable silhouettes in the nation’s skies, flew for the final time on Friday (September 26) as the Indian Air Force (IAF) decommissioned its last two squadrons of the Soviet-era aircraft.
At a solemn ceremony in Chandigarh in northern India, the No. 23 Panthers and No. 3 Cobras squadrons, which together fielded around 36 MiG-21s, formally retired from service.
In a final ballet of speed and precision, the MiG-21s carved arcs across the sky, their delta wings glinting in the afternoon sun.
Flying in perfect formation with the indigenous Tejas jets, the venerable “Fishbeds” traced the last chapter of a story that began six decades ago-a tale of daring pilots, fierce dogfights, and a nation’s unwavering trust in a slender, needle-nosed supersonic warrior.
As they vanished into the horizon, the sky itself seemed to pause, paying silent tribute to an icon of Indian aviation.
MiG-21 in India: From Soviet skies to national service
Designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union, the MiG-21 first took to the skies in 1955. India inducted the jet in 1963, making it the country’s first supersonic fighter and its first non-Western combat aircraft.
The choice reflected both India’s strategic pivot towards Moscow during the Cold War and the need for a capable frontline interceptor.
A Tribute to the Legendary MiG-21.
— CISF (@CISFHQrs) September 26, 2025
For over six decades, the fearless MiG-21 Jet ruled the skies, standing tall as a symbol of courage, speed and unmatched valour of the @IAF_MCC. From safeguarding the nation in critical battles to inspiring generations of air warriors, this… pic.twitter.com/etzX5ESxnu
Over the years, India would operate more than 850 MiG-21s, many of them licence-produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The aircraft became the backbone of the IAF, forming the cornerstone of its air defence for much of the late 20th century.
The MiG-21 in India’s wars: 1965, 1971, Kargil and beyond
The MiG-21’s combat record in India is long and distinguished. It entered the 1965 India-Pakistan war in small numbers, but its presence grew dramatically by 1971, when it played a decisive role. MiG-21s engaged Pakistan’s F-104 Starfighters in supersonic dogfights and carried out strikes that hastened the end of the war, including an attack on the Governor’s House in Dhaka.
The fighter remained relevant decades later. During the 1999 Kargil conflict, MiG-21s flew punishing sorties in the Himalayan theatre alongside Mirages and Jaguars. In 2019, a MiG-21 Bison, the upgraded variant, famously downed a Pakistani F-16 in a rare modern-day dogfight, cementing its reputation as a formidable if ageing warhorse.
Despite its battlefield record, the MiG-21 carried a chequered reputation. Between the 1960s and today, more than 480 of India’s MiG-21s were lost in crashes, claiming over 200 pilots’ lives.
The jet was often labelled the “Flying Coffin” or “Widow Maker,” though many pilots insist these titles are unfair given the sheer number of hours flown and missions undertaken.
The aircraft’s long service was in part a reflection of necessity. Delays in acquiring replacements meant that the MiG-21 was repeatedly upgraded and overhauled to extend its life. The Bison variant, equipped with modern radar, avionics and air-to-air missiles, demonstrated remarkable agility and potency, but it could not mask the reality of ageing airframes.
MiG-21 retirement leaves a gap for the Indian Air Force
The retirement of the last MiG-21 squadrons has reduced the IAF’s fighter strength to 29 squadrons – well below the sanctioned 42 required to meet a two-front challenge from Pakistan and China. By comparison, Pakistan fields around 20-25 squadrons, while China has more than 60.
The Air Force is now banking on the induction of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk1 and Mk1A variants, with 180 aircraft ordered, as well as the development of the Tejas Mk2 and the future Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). Alongside imported platforms such as the Rafale, these fighters will gradually rebuild India’s combat fleet.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking at the farewell, described the MiG-21 not merely as an aircraft but as a symbol of India-Russia defence cooperation. “Whenever there have been historic missions, every time the MiG-21 has enhanced the honour of the tricolour,” he said, recalling its role in the 1971 war.
The aircraft also left a legacy within India’s aerospace industry. HAL’s licence-production of hundreds of MiG-21s gave the company valuable experience in manufacturing and sustaining complex combat aircraft, a foundation on which later indigenous projects were built.
A final formation and a handover to Tejas
At the Chandigarh ceremony, MiG-21s flew one last formation with India’s indigenous Tejas fighters. The symbolic gesture was widely interpreted as a passing of the torch, a message of “handing over the glory to the next lineage.”
For generations of IAF pilots, the MiG-21 was a rite of passage, the cockpit where they first learned the art of supersonic flight. Its retirement marks the end of an era, not only in India but globally, as one of the world’s most widely flown supersonic jets fades into history.
The jet’s story will endure in archives, museums and the memories of those who flew and maintained it.
As one pilot remarked, strapping into a MiG-21 was never just about flying an aircraft – it was about stepping into history.
