India bids farewell to its MiG-21s after six decades of service

On September 26, 2025, the Indian Air Force retired its last Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Bison fighter jets after more than 60 years of active service. 

This fast and nimble Soviet-designed fighter was for many years the workhorse of the Indian Air Force combat squadrons, which operated several versions of this type.  

Since 1964, the Indian Air Force operated a total of 872 MiG-21s, 840 of which were, since 1966, built locally in India under license by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) 

Indian MiG-21s saw extensive frontline service during the multiple armed clashes with Pakistan that have taken place in the last few decades. Indian MiG-21s were credited with a successful performance during the 1971 War, in which they reportedly engaged and shot down Pakistani US-made F-104 jets a number of times. 

In another notorious action involving Indian MiG-21s, a Pakistani Air Force French-made Breguet Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft was shot down near the border between the two countries in August 1999, shortly after the official end of the brief Kargil War. 

However, and in addition to a handful of combat losses, India’s increasingly ageing MiG-21 fleet was heavily attritted by accidents, particularly over the last couple of decades. More than half of India’s MiG-21s (482 out of 872 aircraft) were lost to accidents, resulting in over 200 deaths, including pilots and some people on the ground, as well. 

As recently as May 2023, for example, the entire Indian MiG-21 fleet was grounded after one of its aircraft crashed into a house in Rajasthan resulting in the death of three civilians (the pilot managed to eject). 

Other MiG-21 operators have also retired their fleets recently, such as Croatia, the last European operator of the type, which retired theirs in December 2024, and Romania, which did the same in 2023, to be replaced by Dassault Rafale and Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters, respectively.

The last flight of the Indian MiG-21s

The final grounding of this iconic aircraft took place at a ceremony held at Chandigar air base, which included a flypast by two MiG-21s. India’s Air Chief Marshal and Chief of Air Staff, Amar Preet Singh, who is himself a MiG-21 veteran, also took part in the farewell ceremonies, flying one of the jets. 

On the background of the type’s retirement, India continues to pursue apace its air force modernization plans.

On September 25, 2025, India signed a $7.5B contract with aircraft maker HAL for 97 Tejas Mk1A jets, bringing total orders for this domestically-developed jet to 180 aircraft. 

In parallel to this, it has been reported that the Indian government is also considering an order for 114 additional multi-role Rafale fighter jets from Dassault. was being considered. If finally confirmed this deal may also involve the set up of a full assembly line for the Rafale in India. 

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