The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to retire its iconic MiG-21 fighter aircraft after more than six decades of service. The aircraft will be formally decommissioned in a special ceremony at the Chandigarh Air Force Station on September 26, 2025. A special event titled ‘Culmination of MiG-21 Ops in IAF’ will be held at the Chandigarh Air Force Station to mark the occasion. A full dress rehearsal will take place on September 24, 2025.
Preparations have begun for a grand farewell to the aircraft, which has been a symbol of pride for the Indian Air Force for 62 years. On September 26th, the MiG-21 will take its final flight over Chandigarh. The approximately 90-minute ceremony will include a special flypast, a guard of honor, and memorial decorations. The Form 700 of the MiG-21 will also be presented to the chief guest on this occasion.
Form 700 is an aircraft maintenance form of the Indian Air Force. It contains records of pre-flight, post-flight, and daily inspections of each aircraft. It is the official logbook, which certifies that the aircraft is fully ready for flight. The Form 700 will be handed over at the ceremony when the MiG-21 squadron is de-inducted.
The ceremony will also invite pilots and crew members associated with the MiG-21, who have contributed to its glorious service journey. The two currently active MiG-21 Bison squadrons will also be phased out.
After September 26, the MiG-21 Bison aircraft will be taken to Nal Airbase from Chandigarh. Following this, Number 3 Squadron (Cobras) and Number 23 Squadron (Panthers) will be re-numbered. This means that their legacy will be preserved, and new aircraft will be associated with these names in the future. Number 3 Squadron will now receive the first LCA Tejas Mark 1A.
Technical inspections of the aircraft will be conducted after reaching Nal Airbase. Usable parts will be removed, and the remaining parts will be scrapped. Some parts may be given to engineering colleges for training, or they may be kept in war memorials and museums. If any civilian organization or university wants to take them for display, they will have to make a formal request to the Air Headquarters.
Several retired MiG-21s are now on display. These include the Indian Air Force Heritage Museum in Chandigarh, the IAF Museum in Delhi, Palam Air Force Station, Nicco Park in Kolkata, Biju Patnaik Aeronautics Museum in Odisha, Rashtrapati Bhavan Museum (Delhi), Chandra Shekhar Park in Prayagraj, HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum in Bengaluru.
Pilots cannot change their stream in the Air Force at will. There are three main streams: Fighter, Transport, and Helicopter. Fighter pilots can move to the Transport or Helicopter stream on medical grounds or operational needs. Now, upon the de-induction of the MiG-21, these pilots will be given training on new fighter aircraft, which will last for 3 to 6 months. In addition, they can become test pilots or join the Logistics and Admin branch.
The Indian Air Force is going to make this farewell ceremony memorable, as the MiG-21 is not just an aircraft but has been an aerial shield of India for more than six decades.
