India is set to formally retire its remaining MiG-21 fighter jets in September, drawing the curtain on the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) longest-serving and most controversial combat aircraft.
Currently operated by the IAF’s 23 Squadron, known as the Panthers, the aircraft will be replaced by the indigenously developed Tejas Mk1A fighter jets.
India inducted over 700 MiG-21s over the years, including several variants such as the Type-77, Type-96, BIS, and the upgraded Bison models. Many were licence-built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
According to The Hindu, the final squadrons of MiG-21s are currently stationed at the Nal air base in Rajasthan. Their phase-out will reduce the IAF’s operational fighter strength to 29 squadrons, its lowest in decades, until Tejas units are fully integrated.
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The aircraft have been marred by controversy, most notably during the 2019 aerial confrontation with Pakistan. In the aftermath of India’s Balakot airstrike, a MiG-21 Bison flown by then Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was shot down by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF).
Frequent crashes over the years earned them the nickname ‘Flying Coffins’, with official records showing the deaths of around 170 pilots and 40 civilians in MiG-21-related incidents.
A major incident was recorded in May 2023, when a MiG-21 crashed near Suratgarh, Rajasthan, during a training, leading to the deaths of three civilians.
