Overview

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh led the farewell, calling the Soviet‑origin jet a national pride and a symbol of deep India–Russia ties.
• Air Chief Marshal A P Singh flew the final MiG‑21 sortie with call sign Badal 3 as Squadron Leader Priya Sharma joined the flypast, becoming the last woman fighter pilot to fly the type.
• Six aircraft from No. 23 Squadron “Panthers” executed Badal and Panther formations, with Jaguars, Tejas and the Surya Kiran team participating and a water cannon salute marking the finale.
• Inducted in the early 1960s as India’s first supersonic fighter, more than 850 MiG‑21s served across the 1965 and 1971 wars, the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Balakot operation.
• Reports note a contentious safety record, with Parliament data citing over 400 accidents and more than 170 pilot deaths through April 2012, as the IAF now pivots to Tejas Mk1/Mk1A/Mk2 and additional foreign fighters, with Mk1A deliveries expected to begin in October.