MiG-21 Phaseout: End Of An Era In Indian Military Aviation With The Retirement Of 'Oorials'

MiG-21s, first transferred to India in early sixties by erstwhile Soviet Union after India-China war, is now in final leg of saying goodbye to IAF warriors who learnt dog-fight skills in its cockpit.

A file photo of MiG-21 at the Ambala air base of Indian Air Force.

Source : Getty

It was a defining moment in the history of Indian military aviation when a MiG-21 fighter made a farewell appearance in the skies above Uttarlai in the Barmer district of Rajasthan. On October 31, the aircraft gracefully shared the airspace with the Su-30MKI and declared its retirement. This signified the closure of an era, and embodying the ongoing transformation within the Indian Air Force (IAF). The farewell flight also epitomised the evolution to new cutting-edge technology in the IAF.