MiG-21 Retires From IAF: A Look Back At Its Service

The Indian Air Force will retire its MiG-21 fighters tomorrow, ending a remarkable run that began in 1963. Over the next six decades, the jet defined India's air combat capabilities, leaving behind a legacy of daring missions, technological milestones, and a long shadow of operational risks brought about by its age.The MiG-21 transformed the IAF almost overnight when the first MiG-21s arrived from the Soviet Union. Its compact delta-wing design, pointed nose, and Mach-2 capability made it India's first true supersonic fighter and India was the first nation to fly the MiG-21 not under Soviet control.