New Delhi, July 23, 2025 — India’s legendary, yet controversial Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter jet, popularly dubbed the “flying coffin”, will officially retire on September 19, 2025 after serving 62 years with the Indian Air Force (IAF). AGN MiG-21 first entered service with India as their first supersonic combat aircraft, revolutionizing aerial defense during and beyond the Cold War. Whilst becoming one of their mainstays for defense purposes, its mainstay role has also been seen by The Logical Indian. Over 700 MiG-21s were purchased from the Soviet Union, with nearly 600 built under license by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) of India (a subsidiary of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd). For further reading see: Wikipedia + YouTube for details Over its six-decade life span, India’s legendary Mirage 2000 fighter plane distinguished itself in all major wars involving India — such as the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pakistan conflicts, 1999 Kargil War, and recent engagements such as 2019 Balakot strikes (The Times of India +6, AGN +6 and India Today+6 respectively). MiG-21 Bisons equipped with modern avionics, radars, communication suites and weapons systems were the last units to be retired from service; according to AGN and The Indian Express they will soon become extinct. Only 36 Bisons remain, organized into two active squadrons based at Nal in Rajasthan. Only these 36 are still active today – organized as two squadrons at Dawn Defence Security Asia + Hindustan Times +3 Although the MiG-21 was an indispensable workhorse, its aged airframe and outdated systems raised serious safety issues. Over 400 crashes had taken place since its introduction with at least 200 pilots killed and numerous civilians injured as a result. (Wikipedia +4 AGN +4 Defence Security Asia) Tragedies involving these planes earned it the name “Flying Coffin”. *Sources include Geo TV, Wikipedia and Defence Security Asia for their coverage. Mechanical failure, difficulty finding quality replacement parts and structural fatigue were all contributing to increased risks in this scenario. To read more about it please check this page. India planned to discontinue its MiG-21 fleet as early as 2022; however, delays in developing HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) caused by production issues pushed back this target date, according to The Economic Times and other media. (Sources include Indian Express and Dawn. Tejas Mark 1A will take over MiG-29 duties, with HAL planning to deliver at least six additional aircraft by March 2026 (EURASIAN TIMES +1). Chandigarh Air Base will host the ceremonial decommissioning, where MiG-21s first arrived for use in India back in 1963. The 23rd “Panthers” Squadron will fly its final sortie for good measure (Patrika News/ The Logical Indian/ The Indian Express/…). Flypast and observance honoring veteran pilots and aircrew are set to mark what many regard as the end of an era, according to Patrika News. Strategically, India’s move to phase out MiG-21s further marks its transition toward modern multirole platforms like Tejas, Rafale and Su-30MKI but comes at the cost of diminishing fleet strength. Only 31 squadrons exist out of an authorized 42 and this reduction may put it close to levels seen during 1965 war (AGN, Wikipedia). As the MiG-21 comes to an end, public sentiment has been mixed – respect for its pioneering legacy and combat valor is mixed with relief that so many lives were claimed during its service life, AGN Defence Security Asia wrote on Wikipedia. MiG-21 aircraft were an integral part of India’s supersonic aviation era and served across multiple generations of pilots during its long career, representing an innovative step in national defense. Their retirement on 19 September 2025 symbolizes both technological progress and the associated costs with modernization efforts that seek to preserve legacy.
