Indian Air Force MiG-21 aircraft ahead of the MiG-21 Operational Flying Culmination Ceremony at the Air Force station in Chandigarh (Photo: Reuters)

Inducted into the IAF in 1963, it flew over Chandigarh one last time on September 26 at the formal decommissioning ceremony and flew into history after serving 62 years (Photo: Reuters)

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

In the glow of the afterburner

Business Standard

India’s missile defence was driven to call Pakistan’s nuclear bluff — but it has always aimed higher, building a holistic shield against both Pakistani and Chinese missile threats (Imaging: Ajaya Mohanty)

India's missile defence was driven to call Pakistan's nuclear bluff — but it has always aimed higher, building a holistic shield against both Pakistani and Chinese missile threats (Imaging: Ajaya Mohanty)

The Iron Dome anti-missile system intercepts rockets launched from Gaza, as seen from the city of Ashkelon, Israel, on October 9, 2023 (Photo: Reuters)

Sudarshan Chakra fuses shield and sword into one doctrine of power, but its broad contours are unclear

From Iron Dome to Star Wars, it is now India's turn

The F404-GE-103 turbofan engine developed for the Boeing T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer (Photo: GE Aerospace)

Kaveri marine gas turbine engine, a derivative of the Kaveri engine developed for Naval ship propulsion (Photo: DRDO)

Behind the Prime Minister's clarion call to fix India's Achilles' heel

The missing engine - India's fighter jet dreams

A carrier battle group of the Indian Navy deployed during Operation Sindoor to deter Pakistani military activity in the maritime space in May (Photo: Indian Navy)

Recovered debris of a drone used by Pakistan in its attempts to attack India during Operation Sindoor (Photo: Indian armed forces)

Operation Sindoor involved the IAF successfully utilising the Russian-made S-400 missile defence system to counter Pakistani air attacks (Photo: Reuters)

A new set of disruptive technologies, indiscriminate use of air power, and obstinate willingness on both sides to test the tripwires have made the India-Pakistan conflict much more complex

Incremental climbs on the escalation ladder

Read exclusive defence insights from Business Standard’s Blueprint Defence Magazine. Explore in-depth analysis on India’s military strategy, defence industry, and global geopolitics.

Page 2 - Analysis

In the glow of the afterburner

From Iron Dome to Star Wars, it is now India's turn

The missing engine - India's fighter jet dreams

Incremental climbs on the escalation ladder