Chandigarh, Sep 26: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the MiG-21 is not only an aircraft or a machine but a national pride, and a testimony to the deep ties between India and Russia.

Noting that the over 60-year-old journey of the MiG-21 is unmatched, he said the mighty machine picked up the burden of the country’s security on its wings for decades, and shaped “our confidence and strengthened our strategy”.

The defence minister was addressed a gathering at the decommissioning ceremony of the Russian-origin MiG-21 at the Chandigarh Air Force Station here.

The iconic Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jets, which have been the backbone of Indian Air Force’s (IAF) combat fleet, flew for the last time in Indian skies here on Friday, bringing the curtain down on a 62-year-long jour

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