Six Decades of Service Remembered in Decommissioning Ceremony

The Indian Air Force has finally said goodbye to its MiG-21s, which entered service more than 60 years ago and have most recently been seen as “flying coffins” rather than fighters. The decommissioning ceremony formally retired the last 36 jets operated by MiG-21 squadrons 23, the Panthers, and 3, the Cobras.

The retirement marks the official end of India’s long and complicated relationship with the Soviet-era jet. At its peak, the IAF operated 872 MiGs of various models, making it the largest fleet of its kind in the world. The aircraft were crucial in India’s wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, again during the 1999 Kargil conflict, and in the 2019 Balakot strikes, but the jet’s reputation steadily deteriorated as accidents mounted. From 1971 through 2012, official records counted 482 crashes that killed 171 pilots and dozens of others on the ground, earning the grim nickname “flying coffin.”

The farewell was held in Chandigarh on Friday, September 26, with Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh flying a final sortie and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh in attendance. Upon landing, the aircraft was greeted with a water cannon salute.

India’s fighter force is left thinner, yet maybe safer, as a result. With the MiG-21 gone, the IAF now operates 29 fighter squadrons; far short of the 42 once considered necessary. Analysts warn that the shortfall, if not addressed quickly, could leave India stretched in the face of both Pakistani and Chinese air power.

To fill the gap, the IAF is leaning heavily on the indigenous Tejas program, with 87 on order and another 97 recently contracted. Deliveries, however, are years behind schedule and hampered by reliance on foreign-built engines. For now, the Air Force continues to fly Rafales, Mirage 2000s, Su-30s, MiG-29s, and the few Tejas already in service.

FMI: https://indianairforce.nic.in