'End of an era,' says Rajnath Singh at decommissioning ceremony of the MiG-21 fleet

On Friday (Sep 26), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was present at the decommissioning ceremony of the MiG-21 fleet in Chandigarh. As the pilots commenced on the final sortie of the aircraft, Singh lauded the valour of the soldiers. He also highlighted that the aircraft is a sign of the friendship between India and Russia. “MiG-21 is not merely an aircraft, it is a testimony of India-Russia relations,” said the defence minister.

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He called the decommissioning of the MiG-21 as the end of an era. Singh said, "For a long time, MiG-21 has been a witness to several heroic deeds. Its contribution has not been limited to just a single event or a certain war. From the 1971 war to the Kargil conflict, or from the Balakot airstrike to Operation Sindoor, there has not been a moment when the MiG-21 has not provided tremendous strength to our armed forces."

About MiG-21

The Soviet aircraft was dubbed the ‘flying coffin’ after many pilots lost their lives in service while flying the MiG. And in 2012, the then Defence Minister A K Antony had told the parliament that half of the 872 MiG fleet purchased from Russia were lost due to crashes. India has lost over 200 Indian Air Force pilots in crashes.