After nearly six decades of service, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday retired its legendary MiG-21 fighter jet, taking its final sortie in a decommissioning ceremony at Chandigarh Air Force Station in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Inducted in 1963, the MiG-21 became the backbone of India’s air power, training generations of pilots and proving its mettle in multiple conflicts, including the 1965 and 1971 wars, the 1999 Kargil War. The aircraft played a pivotal role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, striking the Governor’s residence in Dhaka, contributing significantly to Pakistan’s surrender and the liberation of Bangladesh.

Speaking to ANI, Squadron Leader SS Tyagi (Retd.), who holds the highest flying hours on the MiG-21, recalled, “We passed on our learnings to our junior

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