IAF Bids Farewell to MiG-21, Inducts Tejas as Successor Fighter Jet

New Delhi : After more than six decades of service, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will officially retire the iconic MiG-21 fighter jet on Friday, marking the end of an era in Indian military aviation. The historic farewell will be held at the Chandigarh Air Base, where the Chief of Air Staff will pay tribute by flying the aircraft’s final mission.

As part of the ceremony, two special formations Badal and Panther will be flown. The latter will include the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, symbolising its formal succession as the IAF’s frontline fighter.

Inducted in 1963, the MiG-21 played a pivotal role in several key conflicts, including the 1965 and 1971 wars, Operation Safed Sagar during the 1999 Kargil conflict, and more recently, Operation Sindoor. Its legacy was cemented in 2019, when Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a Pakistani F-16 during the Balakot operation while flying a MiG-21.

Veteran pilots recall the jet’s decisive contributions from strikes on Tejgaon and Kurmitola airfields in 1971 to its role in training generations of IAF fighter pilots. “It has had a very rich and powerful history in the Indian Air Force. We all learned fighter flying on this aircraft. It holds a very special place in our hearts,” Group Captain Indraneel Nandi said.

The Tejas, India’s indigenous fighter, has been developed as the MiG-21’s replacement and upgraded for modern-day combat needs. “I am sure it will carry the MiG-21’s legacy forward while meeting future challenges,” Nandi added.

To honor the aircraft, the MiG-21s will receive a water cannon salute, and their logbook (Form 700) will be handed over to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, formally closing a legendary chapter in Indian air power.

The IAF will now bridge the operational gap with phased induction of LCA Tejas Mk1 and Mk2, alongside planned acquisitions of Rafale fighters.