The sun sets on India's iconic Soviet fighter jet
After six decades of service, the MiG-21’s final flight marks the end of an era for the Indian Air Force, a tale of versatility, danger and modernization.
Technology & AI • 3 months ago
New Delhi — India's MiG-21, the backbone of the Indian Air Force for decades, undertook its final flight on Friday, ending a six‑decade chapter in the service's history. The jet, once central to India's air power, has been celebrated for its speed and versatility but also criticized for a high crash rate and a long, controversial twilight that spanned political and technological shifts across the subcontinent.
At its peak, the MiG‑21 accounted for about two‑thirds of the IAF fighter fleet, a dominance born of the jet's speed, agility and the era's push to rapidly expand India's defense capabilities. But the aircraft earned the grim nickname