India Grounds MiG-21 Jets After Six Decades

India has officially retired its last fleet of MiG-21 fighter jets, notorious for decades as “flying coffins” due to their poor safety record. The move ends a 63-year-long era but also exposes a growing shortage of aircraft in the Indian Air Force (IAF).

On September 26, the IAF held a farewell ceremony at Air Force Station Chandigarh, attended by senior officials including the defense minister. Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh flew a single-seat MiG-21 in the final flypast, marking the jet’s last official mission.

India was the first non-communist country to induct the MiG-21 in 1963, later producing more than 600 under license. The aircraft became the backbone of the IAF, playing major roles in the 1965 and 1971 wars against Pakistan, as well as later conflicts. But it also suffered heavy losses, most recently in aerial clashes in 2019 and 2025 against Pakistan.

The MiG-21’s alarming safety record, with hundreds of crashes and many fatalities, earned it the dreaded nickname “flying coffin.” Even after upgrades to the “Bison” standard in the 2000s, the jet’s aging design could not match modern fighters.

Globally, the MiG-21 still lingers in the inventories of countries like North Korea, Angola, and Yemen, though their serviceability is doubtful.

With the MiG-21 now retired, the IAF faces a shortage of combat aircraft despite modernization efforts. The farewell highlights both the end of a historic chapter and India’s urgent need to replace outdated jets with reliable, modern fighters.