Chandigarh: The legendary Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jets, the backbone of the Indian Air Force’s combat fleet for more than six decades, streaked through Indian skies for the last time on Friday – its final adieu threaded through history and many a remembrance.
The sun shone bright, the skies were cloudless and a brilliant blue, providing a picture perfect setting for the elaborate farewell to the Russian origin warhorse that was inducted into the IAF in the 1960s.
Describing the MiG-21 as a mighty machine and a national pride, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said there is deep attachment to the aircraft that shaped our confidence.
“MiG-21 is not only an aircraft or machine but also proof of deep India-Russia ties,” the minister said at the decommissioning ceremony of MiG-21 at the IAF station here.
“The history of military aviation is incredible. The MiG-21 added many proud moments to our military aviation journey,” Singh told the gathering.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman Samir V Kamat, many former IAF chiefs, and serving and retired senior Army officers were among those present on the occasion.
There has been no fighter jet in the history of global military aviation made in such big numbers, the defence minister said during his address to the gathering. More than 11,500 MiG 21 aircraft were made. Of them, 850 fighter jets remained part of the IAF, he added.
“This number is the testimony of this aircraft’s popularity, credibility and multi-dimensional capability,” Singh said while pointing out that its contribution was not limited to one incident or a war.
He also recalled its role in the 1971 war with Pakistan, the 1999 Kargil conflict as well as the 2019 Balakot air strikes.
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, India’s first man on the International Space Station, former IAF chiefs A Y Tipnis, S P Tyagi and B S Dhanoa, scores of veterans, many who piloted the aircraft, were present on the occasion.
Shukla, who flew MiG-21 in the past, said he felt excited yet nostalgic to be part of the ceremony, saying the jet has been a big part of his life.
Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flew a sortie of the MiG-21 Bison aircraft with call sign Badal 3. Dilbagh Singh, who became the IAF chief in 1981, led the first MiG-21 Squadron here in 1963.
Among the pilots to fly the MiG-21 on Friday was Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, leaving her name in the annals of aviation history as the last woman fighter pilot to have flown the aircraft one final time.
The culmination of MiG-21 operations took place with a ceremonial flypast and decommissioning event, marking the closure of a historic chapter in India’s air power.
The country’s first supersonic fighter and interceptor aircraft were retired in Chandigarh, where it was first inducted more than six decades ago.
The grand ceremony featured a series of aerial displays, including a skydiving demonstration by Akash Ganga, formation take-offs by MiG-21s, the Badal and Panther formations, precision drill movements by the air warrior drill team, Surya Kiran aerobatic team and a symbolic flypast showcasing Jaguars and MiG-21s in a recreation of Combat Air Patrol.
A joint MiG-21 and LCA Tejas flypast highlighted the transition from the legendary Bison to the indigenous Tejas.
The ceremony began with the arrival of the defence minister, the chief guest for the occasion, which was followed by a spectacular display by IAF’s elite skydiving team ‘Akash Ganga’ that skydived from a height of 8,000 feet.
This was followed by a majestic flypast of the MiG-21 aircraft accompanied by precision of the air warrior drill team and an aerial salute.
MiG-21 jets belonging to Squadron No. 23 took part in the flypast ceremony, and were given a water cannon salute.
A ceremonial switch-off of six MiG-21 aircraft in front of the dignitaries marked the culmination of the aircraft’s operational service.
The aircraft document – Form-700 – was handed over to the Chief of Air Staff by officers and airmen of Squadron No. 23 and the commanding officer of Squadron No. 28.
Marking the occasion, the defence minister released a special commemorative day cover and stamp honouring the legacy of the MiG-21.
He also made a visit to the Memory Lane museum, followed by lunch with air warriors and veterans.
After its first induction, the IAF procured over 870 MiG-21s to boost its overall combat prowess.
The aircraft also had a troubled safety record and was involved in multiple crashes in the last six decades. The ageing fleet prompted some to describe the aircraft as “legacy coffins”.
The MiG-21 jets made their last operational flights at the Nal Air Force Station in Rajasthan’s Bikaner, a month ahead of the formal retirement ceremony on Friday.
As part of the symbolic farewell, Air Chief Marshal Singh had also flown solo sorties of MiG-21 from Nal on August 18-19.
Friday’s gathering also witnessed the participation of IAF veterans, engineers, technicians, ground crew and air warriors who served with the MiG-21 over its long operational life.
