IAF's MiG-21 to retire in 2025: How it shaped India

India Sep 20, 2025

The Indian Air Force is preparing to retire its iconic MiG-21 fighter jet on September 26, 2025.
Inducted into the IAF in 1963, the MiG-21 was India's first supersonic jet and has been a major part of the country's air defense for nearly six decades.

The jet's legacy and its replacement

The MiG-21 played a big role in key moments like the 1971 war with Pakistan—famously helping force a surrender in Dhaka—and proved its skills again during the Kargil conflict.
Beyond combat, it helped train generations of pilots and boosted India's aerospace know-how.
Now, it's making way for newer jets like the Tejas LCA Mark 1A as the IAF moves forward.