In the glow of the afterburner
As India bids farewell to its first supersonic fighter jet, the MiG-21's final flight marks both the end of an era and a warning for the future
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 "Indian Air Force MiG-21 aircraft ahead of the MiG-21 Operational Flying Culmination Ceremony at the Air Force station in Chandigarh (Photo: Reuters)")
Indian Air Force MiG-21 aircraft ahead of the MiG-21 Operational Flying Culmination Ceremony at the Air Force station in Chandigarh (Photo: Reuters)
“You either die a hero, or you live long enough to become the villain.” The iconic line from the movie The Dark Knight could apply to the MiG-21 fighter, an iconic jet in the realm of military aviation. Inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 1963, it took to the skies over Chandigarh one last time on September 26, 2025, at the formal decommissioning ceremony and flew into history after clocking 62 years in service. Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh termed the MiG-21 a “bird of all seasons”. A ceremonial switch-off of six MiG-21 aircraft
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Dinakar Peri
Dinakar Peri is fellow, Security Studies Programme at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace India
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First Published: Oct 06 2025 | 4:55 PM IST
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