Our Bureau
Chandigarh
This Friday, on September 26, 2025, India bid farewell to one of the powerhouses of the Indian Air Force, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21. This marks an end of an era for the IAF as one of their most redoubtable fighter jets and the hero of four armed conflicts with Pakistan after 6 decades has made its last flight.
MiG-21 is a fighter jet that has become synonymous to the identity of the Indian Air Force and has served the nation for decades – executing attack, defence, and reconnaissance missions. MiG-21 is a fighter jet that should have been rendered obsolete years ago by newer technology jets but has survived through the ages. The legacy of the fighter jet is rock solid and the biggest testament to that is the fact that virtually every fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force will have flown either the original MiG-21 or a variant.
This Friday at noon at 12.05 pm six Bison variants of the MiG-21 fighter jet soared high for one last time in Chandigarh, led by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh (call sign ‘Badal 3’). This was followed by a water cannon salute to honour the jets on their landing.
Seeing the legendary MiG-21 taking its last flight in Chandigarh which is where the first MiG-21 was inducted into the Air Force, around 62 years back in 1963. At that time a batch of 13 fighter jets were flown down to India to meet their demand for a high-altitude interceptor. These planes were added in order to counter spy planes, like the United States’ U-2.
Along with Air Chief Marshal AP Singh there was Squadron Leader Priya Sharma, India’s seventh woman fighter pilot. Squadron Leader Sharma also flew the MiG-21 in formation with the Air Chief from Rajasthan’s Bikaner.
