The legendary MiG-21 fighter jets, backbone of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) combat fleet for more than six decades, streaked through Indian skies for the last time on Friday — their final adieu threaded through history and many a remembrance.
The sun shone bright over a blue, cloudless sky on Friday evening in Chandigarh, providing a picture perfect setting for the elaborate farewell to the Russian-origin warhorse that was inducted into the IAF in the 1960s.
Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chairman Samir V Kamat, many former IAF chiefs, and serving and retired senior Army officers were among those present on the occasion.
The culmination of MiG-21 operations took place with a ceremonial flypast and decommissioning event. The grand ceremony featured a series of aerial displays, including a skydiving demonstration.
The ceremony began with the arrival of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, which was followed by a spectacular display by IAF’s elite skydiving team Akash Ganga that skydived from a height of 8,000 feet.
This was followed by a majestic flypast of the MiG-21 aircraft accompanied by precision of the air warrior drill team and an aerial salute. MiG-21 jets belonging to Squadron No 23 took part in the flypast ceremony and were given a water cannon salute.
A ceremonial switch-off of six MiG-21 aircraft in front of the dignitaries marked the culmination of the aircraft’s operational service.
