On September 26, 2025, the Indian Air Force (IAF) officially retired its iconic MiG-21 fighter jets at a decommissioning ceremony held at Chandigarh Air Force Station. Inducted in 1963, the MiG-21 became the IAF's first supersonic jet and played a pivotal role in India's military history, participating in the 1965 and 1971 wars, the 1999 Kargil conflict, and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes.

The ceremony featured a final flypast by No. 23 Squadron, "Panthers," with six MiG-21s performing aerial maneuvers. Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh piloted the last sortie, and Squadron Leader Priya Sharma made history as the last woman pilot to fly the MiG-21. 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the MiG-21 as a symbol of national pride and resilience. The aircraft's retirement marks the end of an era for the IAF, which now faces the challenge of replacing the MiG-21 with the indigenous Tejas aircraft.