‘From Balakot to Operation Sindoor’: Rajnath Singh lauds MiG-21 as fighter jet signs off after 62 years

Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday lauded the legendary MiG-21’s glorious service to the Indian Armed Forces, recalling its historic and successful missions.

The final sortie was flown during a solemn decommissioning ceremony held in Chandigarh, marking the end of an era in Indian military aviation. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the ceremony and paid tribute to the aircraft’s unmatched legacy.

Speaking at the event, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "For a long time, MiG-21 has been a witness to numerous heroic deeds. Its contribution has not been limited to a single event or a single war."

After 62 years on the frontline, the Indian Air Force’s iconic MiG-21, the nation’s first supersonic fighter and interceptor, retired during an event held in Chandigarh on Friday.

Singh added that the MiG-21 is not merely an aircraft but a shining example of the deep relations between India and Russia. He hailed the legendary jet as a “mighty machine, national pride and defence shield” that shaped the nation’s confidence and inspired generations of air warriors.

“We have a deep attachment to it. For a long time, MiG-21 has been a witness to numerous heroic deeds. Its contribution has not been limited to a single event or a single war,” Singh said at the decommissioning ceremony of the aircraft at Chandigarh Air Force Station.

Recalling its role in the 1971 war, the Kargil conflict, the Balakot airstrike and Operation Sindoor, he added, “Whenever there have been historic missions, every time the MiG-21 enhanced the honour of the tricolour. Therefore, this farewell is also of our collective memories, of our national pride, and of that journey in which the story of courage, sacrifice and excellence has been written.”

The ceremony marked the culmination of operations of the Russian-origin fighter jet, whose induction in the early 1960s catapulted the IAF into the jet age. The last of the MiG-21s, belonging to the Number 23 Squadron “Panthers,” were given a ceremonial farewell. Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flew the last sortie of the Squadron with the call sign Badal 3.