Key Points
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) is officially decommissioning its last squadron of MiG-21 fighter jets today, Friday, September 26, 2025, after six decades of service.
- A grand farewell ceremony, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, is being held at the Chandigarh Airbase to mark the occasion.
- Squadron Leader Priya Sharma will make history by commanding the final ceremonial flight, becoming the last female pilot to fly the iconic jet.
- The retirement marks a pivotal moment in the IAF’s modernization, with the indigenous LCA Tejas stepping in to replace the aging fleet.
New Delhi: After sixty years of guarding India’s skies, the supersonic roar of the MiG-21 fighter jet will fade into history. The Indian Air Force’s longest-serving combat aircraft is being formally decommissioned today in a historic ceremony at the Chandigarh Airbase. The venerable jet, which has been a cornerstone of India’s air power since its induction in the 1960s, will undertake its final ceremonial sortie, closing a significant chapter in the nation’s military aviation history.
A Grand Farewell at Chandigarh
The farewell ceremony for the MiG-21 aircraft of the 23rd Squadron, known as the “Panthers,” is a high-profile event. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is the chief guest, accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and several former Air Force chiefs who have commanded or flown the aircraft.
The ceremony will feature a final flypast of six MiG-21s in special “Badal” and “Panther” formations. Upon landing, the aircraft will taxi through a ceremonial water cannon salute, a traditional military honor for retiring aircraft and personnel. Symbolizing the future of the IAF, the MiG-21’s successor, the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, will perform a flypast, formally taking the baton of air defense.
A Storied and Complex Legacy
The MiG-21 has a dual legacy of battlefield glory and safety concerns. It proved its mettle as a formidable dogfighter in the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, earning the respect of adversaries and the nickname “Bison” for its upgraded variants. It continued to serve through the Kargil conflict and was famously involved in the post-Balakot engagement. However, its long service life was also marred by a high number of accidents, leading to the unfortunate moniker “flying coffin” and persistent criticism over its technical reliability in later years. Despite this, its role as a workhorse and a training platform for generations of fighter pilots remains undeniable.
The Last Pilot and the Path Forward
Making the event even more historic, Squadron Leader Priya Sharma will be at the controls for the final flight, earning her a unique place in history as the last female pilot to command the MiG-21. Her flight represents not just the end of an aircraft’s service, but the culmination of countless memories, acts of valor, and the pride associated with this legendary machine. The phasing out of the MiG-21 fleet is a crucial part of the IAF’s modernization drive, which focuses on inducting advanced, domestically-produced platforms like the LCA Tejas to meet the challenges of modern aerial warfare.
