Bollywood movie, “Love and War,” starring Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, and Vicky Kaushal, filmed at the Nal Air Force Station in Bikaner, featured the Indian Air Force’s MiG-21 jets. The film shoot marked the last operational flights for these jets before their formal retirement from the IAF on September 26, 2025.
A new chapter will be written in the history of military aviation in September 2025, when the legendary MiG-21 – the most widely produced, affordable, and longest-serving supersonic jet in history, will bid goodbye to the Indian Air Force after nearly sixty years of service. MiG-21’s departure will leave the IAF with only 29 squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42.5 squadrons. At its peak, India operated over 1,200 MiG-21s or around 50 MiG-21 squadrons– each having about 16 to 18 MiG-21s – and was the largest operator of the aircraft outside the Soviet Union.
The MiG-21, developed by Soviet —Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau entered the Indian Air Force as the first supersonic jet fighter capable of breaking the sound barrier in 1963. Its name “MiG” was drawn from the surnames of its founders: Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich while the number “21” described its place in the sequence of earlier models like the MiG-15, MiG-17, and MiG-19.
The MiG-21 stands out globally for both its longevity and scale of use— an extraordinary feature for any supersonic jet. While most of its Cold War contemporaries became museum pieces, the MiG-21 remained in the skies, helping generations of pilots migrate from second-generation fighters to fifth-generation stealth jets. Few fighters in the world have seen such long operational deployment.
Ambrosini SAI.207 an Italian aircraft remained in operational service for less than two months before being returned for refurbishment, while Ki-100 – a Japanese interceptor was in service for only 158 days, or about five months from March 1945 until Japan’s surrender in August 1945. Even Folland Gnat which formed the backbone of the IAF’s fighter fleet during the 1965 and 1971 wars and HAL Ajeet, its upgraded version, had a relatively short service life and retired early.
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, served with the U.S. Air Force for just over a decade from 1958 to 1969, before being retired from the service. The Mirage III fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by French aircraft company Dassault Aviation, which claimed to be the first Western European combat aircraft to exceed Mach 2 in horizontal flight, was also phased out of most air forces by the 1990s. Similarly the British Lightning, a twin-engine fighter designed for air-to-air combat, which served as the RAF’s primary interceptor through the 1960s and 1970s, had a short service span, and was gradually replaced in the late 1980s.
MiG-21’s departure will leave the IAF with only 29 squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 42.5 squadrons. At its peak, India operated over 1,200 MiG-21s or around 50 MiG-21 squadrons– each having about 16 to 18 MiG-21s – and was the largest operator of the aircraft outside the Soviet Union
Globally, no fighter of the MiG-21’s vintage has matched its sheer endurance. Over 11,000 MiG-21s were built, and used by more than 60 countries including China, Egypt, Romania, and Vietnam, making it one of the most widely produced and operated fighter jets in history.
From an economic standpoint, its low cost, ease of maintenance, and adaptability made it an ideal choice for a growing air force in a developing nation. An upgraded MiG-21 Bison costs only Rs 45 crore while the other fighter aircrafts cost anywhere between Rs 400-800 crore. So you can buy the whole squadron at the cost of one aircraft.
The MiG-21MF, a Soviet-era fighter jet, was exceptionally affordable due to its mass production and simple design. Its unit cost was approximately $250,000, which, at a historical exchange rate of Rs10 per dollar, amounted to around Rs25 lakhs. Even in today’s terms, with an average exchange rate of Rs80 per dollar, that would be about Rs2 crore. In contrast, the BMP-1, an infantry fighting vehicle, was more expensive than the MiG-21, costing around $300,000, or Rs30 lakhs in the 1970s, equivalent to roughly Rs2.4 crore today.
Western aircraft like the F-4 Phantom II were significantly costlier. The Phantom’s price ranged from $2 million to $4 million, translating to Rs2–4 crore historically and Rs16–32 crore in today’s terms. Other fighters like the MiG-23 cost about $3 million (Rs3 crore historically, Rs24 crore today), while the MiG-29, introduced in the 1980s, had a price tag of around $5–6 million (Rs5–6 crore then, Rs40–48 crore today). Meanwhile, the American F-16A/B cost around $14 million, or Rs14 crore historically, which equates to Rs112 crore today. The F-15 Eagle, one of the most advanced fighters of its time, reached prices of $30 million, or Rs30 crore then, and about Rs240 crore now.
This price difference was one of the reasons why the MiG-21 was such a popular, and affordable export fighter – at a fraction of the cost of a Western aircraft.
MiG 21 was marketed as a highly manoeuvrable, lightweight, supersonic jet, which could hold its own against many Western fighters like the F-104 Starfighter and the Mirage III. The MiG-21’s greatest strengths are its speed, reliability, and simplicity. In fact, the F-16 was designed to counter MIG-21 aircraft. It has a very good rate of climb. This means that it can out climb most of the other aircrafts, except, of course, the MiG-29, which is a purely interceptor and one of the best in the world, at that moment. MiG-21 also had a very good rate of turn and acceleration as well as a very rugged and powerful engine that can take a lot of punishment on all types of terrains — from deserts to high altitudes. It is extremely agile and can out-turn many of its contemporaries. Its small size and high thrust-to-weight ratio make it difficult to spot and very effective in dogfights. Its adaptability, successive upgrades, avionics improvements, and weapon integrations — have allowed it to remain relevant far beyond its design era.
Even decades later, upgraded versions like the MiG-21 Bison remain relevant with modern avionics and missiles. Though of course, by today’s standards, it cannot be compared to 4th and 5th generation fighters with advanced radars, electronic warfare, and stealth, no other aircraft in history can match the MiG-21 in terms of sheer longevity, global footprint, and impact on air combat. It was never meant to be the most sophisticated jet, but it was dependable, and lethal in skilled hands. It gave many air forces, including India’s, an affordable supersonic punch for over half a century.
Though of course, by today’s standards, it cannot be compared to 4th and 5th generation fighters with advanced radars, electronic warfare, and stealth, no other aircraft in history can match the MiG-21 in terms of sheer longevity, global footprint, and impact on air combat. It was never meant to be the most sophisticated jet, but it was dependable, and lethal in skilled hands. It gave many air forces, including India’s, an affordable supersonic punch for over half a century
MiG-21’s induction was an assertion of India’s intent to modernize its military, keep up with global advancements in aviation and a major shift from reactive defence to proactive air superiority in high-speed aerial combat. MiG-21’s speed, manoeuvrability and rapid climb rate, gave Indian pilots a decisive edge in interception and opened up new dimensions of aerial combat and deterrence in the subcontinent. It not only transformed the IAF’s operational doctrine but also laid the foundation for indigenous aerospace development through licensed production and upgrades by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The MiG-21 was designed to protect Indian airspace by engaging enemy aircraft as an interceptor. Its primary role was to quickly climb, intercept, and neutralise enemy aircraft — particularly bombers – threatening Indian airspace. For this very reason, it was also called a dash interceptor because it could rapidly take off, climb, accelerate, and engage enemy aircraft at supersonic speed. Speed and reaction time were its biggest strengths.
MiG-21 did not take part in the 1962 war because it had just been inducted and was not fully operational. In the 1965 war, it was still in the early stages of service. Only a handful of squadrons were available, hence its role was limited to air defence and quick interception rather than full combat operations. Over the decades, it was modified and equipped with gun pods. It also started carrying bombs and rockets on the wings.
The biggest turning point came in the 1971 war when the MiG-21 showcased its speed, agility and manoeuvrability in dogfights. As time passed, upgrades like the MiG-21 Bison added better avionics, radar, and weapons, allowing it to take on multi-role missions — ground attack, reconnaissance, and even precision strikes. In 1999, during the Kargil conflict, the upgraded MiG-21 Bison was used extensively for bombing runs in high-altitude terrain under extremely challenging conditions.
The Tejas which hopefully will replace the MiG-21 is a completely different generation of fighter compared to the MiG-21. While the MiG-21 is a rugged, bare-bones interceptor, Tejas is a modern multirole aircraft with advanced avionics, fly-by-wire controls, better safety margins, and far greater versatility. In terms of technology, Tejas may surpass the MiG-21, but matching MiG’s operational record — six decades of frontline service and thousands of sorties — will take time. The MiG-21 has been the backbone of the IAF for half a century, something very few aircraft in the world have achieved. If developed properly, Tejas has the potential to build a similar legacy, provided it is inducted in sufficient numbers and continuously upgraded.
From an economic standpoint, its low cost, ease of maintenance, and adaptability make MiG-21 an ideal choice for an air force in a developing nation. An upgraded MiG-21 Bison costs only Rs 45 crore while the other fighter aircrafts cost anywhere between Rs 400-800 crore. So you can buy the whole squadron at the cost of one aircraft
But at the same time, the MiG-21s also had some limitations. Its greatest weakness was that those days the Russians didn’t believe in adding too many safety features like the Western countries. This is the difference – now and before. Even the Hunter had a better ejection seat than MiG-21. The MiG-21 has limited fuel capacity and endurance which means shorter range and loiter time. Its avionics is basic compared to Western fighters, and its radar has limitations. Low-speed take-offs and landings are quite demanding, especially for young pilots.
Over time, the MiG-21 earned the grim moniker “Flying Coffin” due to its high accident rate. In India alone, it was involved in over 400 crashes, resulting in the loss of more than 200 pilots and numerous civilians. Its high landing speed, limited cockpit visibility, and narrow safety margins made it particularly unforgiving for inexperienced pilots. Operationally, its short range and limited payload capacity restricted its utility in extended missions. Technologically, even with the Bison upgrades, the aircraft lagged behind modern fighters in avionics, radar systems, and electronic warfare capabilities. Maintenance became increasingly challenging after the Soviet Union ceased production in 1985, making spare parts scarce and costly.
Historically, the MiG-21’s legacy transcends its operational statistics. Few aircraft in aviation history have flown as long, fought as fiercely, or meant as much. The MiG-21 may no longer streak across Indian skies, but its legacy will endure—in the memories of pilots, and the annals of military history. For many, it was more than a machine—a mentor, a symbol of pride, and a guardian of the skies.
–The writer is a seasoned media professional with over three decades of experience in print, electronic, and web media. He is presently Editor of Taazakhabar News. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
