The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to bid a final farewell to its MiG-21 fighter aircraft, which has served the nation for over six decades. The official decommissioning ceremony is scheduled for September 26, 2025, at the Chandigarh Air Force Station. The event, titled ‘Culmination of MiG-21 Ops in IAF,’ will have a full dress rehearsal on September 24, 2025.
Preparations are underway to give a grand send-off to the aircraft, which has been a symbol of pride for the Indian Air Force for 62 years. The MiG-21 will take its last flight over Chandigarh on September 26. The ceremony, expected to last approximately 90 minutes, will include a special flypast, a guard of honor, and memorial displays. The Form 700 of the MiG-21 will be presented to the chief guest during the event.
Form 700 is the Indian Air Force’s aircraft maintenance record, meticulously documenting pre-flight, post-flight, and daily inspections for each aircraft. This official logbook certifies that the aircraft is fully prepared for flight operations. The Form 700 will be handed over during the decommissioning of the MiG-21 squadron.
The farewell ceremony will also include pilots and crew members who were part of the MiG-21’s service journey. The two active MiG-21 Bison squadrons will also be phased out.
Following the ceremony on September 26, the MiG-21 Bison aircraft will be transferred from Chandigarh to Nal Airbase. Subsequently, the Number 3 Squadron (Cobras) and Number 23 Squadron (Panthers) will be retired with their numbers. This is done to preserve their legacy, and future aircraft may bear these names. The Number 3 Squadron is set to receive the first LCA Tejas Mark 1A.
After arriving at Nal Airbase, the aircraft will undergo technical inspections. Usable parts will be salvaged, and the remaining parts will be scrapped. Some parts may be given to engineering colleges for training purposes, or they may be displayed in war memorials and museums. Any civilian organization or university that wants to display them must request permission from Air Headquarters.
Many retired MiG-21s are already on display at locations like 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, and the HAL Heritage Centre and Aerospace Museum in Bengaluru.
In the Air Force, pilots usually cannot change their stream. The main streams are Fighter, Transport, and Helicopter. Fighter pilots may move to the Transport or Helicopter stream due to medical reasons or operational requirements. With the MiG-21’s decommissioning, these pilots will receive training on new fighter aircraft, which will take 3 to 6 months. They can also become test pilots or join the Logistics and Admin branch.
The Indian Air Force is planning a memorable farewell ceremony to honor the MiG-21, which has been India’s aerial protector for over six decades.