MiG-21 Fighter's Final Flight: Air Force Chief Takes Part
The Indian Air Force's iconic MiG-21 fighter aircraft officially retired on Friday after 62 years of service. A farewell ceremony was held at the Chandigarh Air Base, where the aircraft was originally inducted into the Air Force in 1963.
Air Force Chief A.P. Singh led the final sortie along with six jets from the 23 Squadron. Squadron Leader Priya Sharma also participated in the flypast. This marks the end of an era for what was once considered the backbone of the Indian Air Force.
During its illustrious career, the MiG-21 played crucial roles in several key operations: the 1965 India-Pakistan war, the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, the 1999 Kargil conflict, and even the 2019 Balakot air strike. It was India's first supersonic jet, capable of flying faster than the speed of sound (332 meters per second).
The MiG-21 will now be replaced by the indigenous Tejas LCA Mark 1A aircraft. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with chiefs of all three armed forces and senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, attended the retirement ceremony.