- Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla flew MiG-21 jets from 2007 to 2017 and attended its last flight event, he said
- MiG-21 was inducted in 1963 and retired after nearly six decades at Chandigarh air base
- Air Chief Marshal AP Singh flew the final sortie of the MiG-21 Bison aircraft during the farewell
Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, who is witnessing the final flight of the Indian Air Force's (IAF) iconic fighter jet MiG-21 on Friday, said he has spent a "big part of his life" with the aircraft. Mr Shukla actively flew the MiG-21 fighter jet between 2007 to 2017, he said.
"MiG-21 has been a huge part of my life. I have done a lot of flying in this aircraft. It has taught me a lot, and I'm very excited to be here to see the last flight of the MiG-21 and meet everybody who was a part of my journey. First, I flew the MiG-21 Calibre variants, then the MiG-21 Bison. I have been in a lot of squadrons, too. It has been a great experience," the Group Captain said.
"Feeling nostalgic", Mr Shukla said, "I have spent a big part of my life with this aircraft. And now it is being decommissioned. And it is going to be my last flight. I wanted to sit in a cockpit and fly today. But unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to do that. But I am very happy to be here. I am very happy to see the MiG-21 again."
He added, "It is very enlightening for anybody, and for me, I would say it is a personal journey of my growth along with the aircraft. So I am feeling great to be here."
India's farewell to MiG-21
Inducted in 1963, the MiG-21 aircraft is retiring today after nearly six decades, with India giving it a farewell at the Chandigarh air base. During the farewell event, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh flew the last sortie of the MiG-21 Bison aircraft. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, former IAF chiefs AY Tipnis, SP Tyagi, and BS Dhanoa, India's first man on the International Space Station, and scores of veterans, many who had piloted the aircraft, were present on the occasion.
The Defence Minister described the MiG-21 as a "mighty machine" and a "national pride".
"There is a deep attachment to the aircraft that shaped our confidence. MiG-21 is not only an aircraft or machine but also proof of deep India-Russia ties. The history of military aviation is incredible. The MiG-21 added many proud moments in our military aviation journey," he said.
The fighter jet, which had acquired the tag 'flying coffin', saw extensive action in multiple operations, including the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, where it proved its combat effectiveness. The aircraft also played a key role in the 1999 Kargil conflict as well as the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.
Over the decades, it has trained generations of fighter pilots.
The phasing out of the MiG-21 today comes after many crashes involving the plane, including an incident in Rajasthan in May 2023 in which three villagers were killed.
