MiG-21, the oldest and brave warrior of the Indian Air Force, is formally retiring next month. This fighter aircraft, which protected the sky for about six decades, was once called the “backbone of the Air Force”. MiG-21 waved India’s victory in many important campaigns from the 1971 war. But increasing technical challenges and accidents have put a complete stop on its journey. Now this aircraft will always be remembered by becoming a glorious chapter of Indian defense history. On Monday (August 25, 2025), the MiG-21 fighter jets took their final flight at the air base at Naal in Bikaner. These aircraft will be given a final farewell in the formal retirement ceremony held in Chandigarh on 26 September.
Air Force chief filled the final flight of MiG
Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh flew from Nal to MiG-21 on August 18-19 on the symbolic farewell of MiG-21. It was a passionate moment for several generations of trained pilots on a fighter aircraft of the Russian origin serving the Air Force for 62 years. Air Chief Marshal Singh said after his flight- ‘MiG-21 has been the most powerful fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force since its inception in the 1960s and we are still using it. It is one of the highest, large -scale supersonic fighter aircraft in history, with more than 11,000 aircraft used in more than 60 countries.
VIDEO | Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh Takes A Sortie in Mig-21 Aircraft in Bikaner. The IAF is all set to bid adeiu mig-21 aircraft from operation roles on September 26.#Indianairforce #mig21 pic.twitter.com/7t9nqcszk7
– Press Trust of India (@Pti_News) August 25, 2025
MiG-21 starts in India
In 1963, India won the first batch of MiG-21 aircraft. A total of 13 aircraft were brought during this period. At that time, the Air Force was looking for a high-altitude interceptor that could compete with aircraft like American U-2 spy plane. This was the reason that India bought MiG-21. MiG-21 was not limited to interceptors only. Over time its role reached ground attack, fighter reconnaissance mission, air defense and even new pilots training. However, training was not part of its original design. Initially, permission to fly MiG-21 was given only to the most experienced pilots of the Indian Air Force. The reason for this was its challenging flight capabilities. The small size of the aircraft, limited cockpit visibility and landing speed of more than 300 kilometers per hour made it extremely difficult for new pilots.
MiG-21 made historical contribution in many wars
The contribution of MiG-21 in many wars was historic. The aircraft participated in the 1965 war and played an important role in the 1971 battle on the attack on the Governor’s residence in Dhaka, especially on 14 December. The Governor resigned the next day and on 16 December, Pakistan surrendered and 93,000 of its soldiers laid down their arms. Subsequently, in 1999, under the Operation White Sea, the aircraft also showed enlightenment when MiG-21 killed a Pakistani Atlantic aircraft infiltrating Indian territory. In the 2010s, MiG-21 showed its strength when India launched accurate airstrikes on terrorist bases in Pakistan after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. At the same time, this aircraft remained active in the 2020s and played an important role in Ladakh patrolling the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Air Force’s backbone remained for decades
Despite the difficulties, the MiG-21 remained the favorite aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Not only this, it remained the backbone of the Air Force until Russia-made Sukhoi SU-30MKI was included in the fleet in the mid-2000s. During the years MiG-21 was continuously upgraded to modern weapons and avionics. This made it much more than “just one fighter jet”. MiG-21 was not just a fighter jet, but it also became a symbol of strong military relations in India-Russia. This relationship also persists for decades like MiG-21 and is equally strong today.
Price of MiG-21
What was the exact price of MiG-21 in the 1960s is not clear, but this aircraft was considered very cheap due to mass production. Its cost was much lower than the western fighter jets like F-4 phantom of that time. During this period, the Israeli intelligence agency gave an Iraqi pilot 3 million dollars in lieu of its MiG-21. It is clear that at that time it was important to achieve this aircraft for testing.