After glorious career, MiG-21 fighter jets to retire in September

Why in the News?

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will retire its last MiG-21 Bison fighter jet squadrons in September 2025, marking the end of over six decades of service. A ceremonial send-off is planned at the Chandigarh airbase, and plans are underway to replace the MiG-21s with the indigenously developed Tejas Mk1A aircraft.

Background

• Introduction in India: The MiG-21, a Soviet-origin supersonic fighter, was first inducted in 1963, becoming the first supersonic jet in the Indian Air Force.
• Manufacturing: Over 700 MiG-21s were acquired, with many indigenously assembled by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

Historical Role:

• Played decisive roles in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.
• Participated in the Kargil conflict (1999) and Balakot air strikes (2019).
• Used in Operation Sindoor (2024–25), one of its last combat roles.
• Famously used by then Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 in 2019.

Feature

Aircraft Profile:

• Type: Single-engine, supersonic jet fighter and interceptor.
• Speed: Up to Mach 2.0.
• Combat Radius: Approx. 370 km.
• Limitation: Lacks modern avionics and survivability in modern aerial warfare.

Legacy & Impact:

• Backbone of IAF air defence for nearly four decades.
• Pioneered jet-age capability for India.
• Trained generations of pilots.

Controversies:

• Involved in numerous air crashes: over 170 pilots and 40 civilians have died.
• Earned the grim nickname: “Flying Coffin”.

Replacement Plan:

• The IAF plans to induct the Tejas Mk1A, an indigenously developed multi-role light fighter fill the gap.
• HAL Tejas Mk1A includes active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, an electronic warfare suite, mid-air refuelling, and better maintainability.

Challenge

Declining Squadron Strength:

• Post-retirement, IAF’s strength will drop to 29 squadrons (against the sanctioned strength of 42 squadrons).
• This shortfall may affect India’s two-front war preparedness (China and Pakistan).

Delayed Induction:

• The slow production and delivery timelines of Tejas Mk1A and other modern fighters (Rafale, AMCA) pose serious gaps.
  HAL’s production capacity remains under strain.

Operational Risk:

• Reduced number of squadrons could lead to over-deployment of other platforms.
  Affects training schedules, maintenance cycles, and air dominance capability.

Transition Challenges:

• Transition from legacy platforms to modern fighters requires extensive retraining of pilots and ground crew.
• Need to ensure logistics and spare parts management during transition.

Way Forward

Accelerated Tejas Induction:

• Fast-track production and delivery of Tejas Mk1A by HAL with strict deadlines.
• Ensure the timely rollout of Tejas Mk2 and AMCA under Make in India.

Temporary Stopgap Measures:

• Lease or procure a small number of foreign fighters (if necessary) to plug temporary gaps.
• Explore performance upgrades or life-extension programs for other legacy aircraft like Jaguar and Mirage-2000.

Improve Squadron Readiness:

• Optimise existing squadron performance through better availability rates, spares, and pilot training.

Strengthen Indigenous Ecosystem:

• Incentivise the private sector’s role in aircraft components, avionics, and MRO services (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul).
• Promote R&D in fighter jet technology, possibly via public-private partnerships.

Strategic Planning:

• Adopt a phased retirement model and ensure synchronous induction of replacements.
• Factor in geopolitical risks and rising tensions in LAC and LoC while restructuring air force deployment.

Conclusion

The retirement of the MiG-21 Bison is a historic milestone, symbolising both the end of an era and the dawn of indigenous aviation capability. However, the phasing out also highlights critical gaps in India’s air combat readiness. Bridging the gap with fast-track induction, long-term planning, and indigenous innovation is vital for sustaining India’s air superiority in an evolving security environment.

MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION

Question: “The retirement of the MiG-21 Bison marks the end of an iconic era in Indian air defence, but also exposes the critical gaps in combat preparedness.” Critically analyse the implications of MiG-21’s phasing out for the Indian Air Force, and suggest measures to ensure a smooth transition to modern indigenous fighter platforms like Tejas Mk1A.

PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTION