India Bids Farewell To MiG-21 Fighter Jet: Rajnath Singh Calls Its Proof of India-Russia Ties

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the MiG-21 fighter jet during its farewell ceremony in Chandigarh on Friday (26 September), calling it “not only an aircraft or machine but also proof of deep India-Russia ties,” reported Hindustan Times.

He recalled the jet’s crucial role in the 1971 India-Pakistan war, stating, “Who can forget the 1971 war. During the war with Pakistan, in adverse circumstances, the MiG-21 attacked the Governor's House in Dhaka, and on that very day, it outlined the result of that war.”

He added, “Besides this, in its long history, there have been many such occasions when the MiG-21 proved its decisive capacity. Whenever there have been historic missions, every time the MiG-21 has enhanced the honour of the tricolour.”

Singh described the farewell as a tribute to “our collective memories, our national pride, and that journey in which the story of courage, sacrifice, and excellence has been written.”

Inducted in the early 1960s, the MiG-21 served the Indian Air Force for over six decades as the first supersonic fighter and interceptor aircraft.

It played key roles in the 1965 and 1971 wars, the 1999 Kargil war, and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.

The ceremony also saw the presence of Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.

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