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NDTV
22-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
MiG-21, Indian Air Force's Workhorse, To Be Phased Out In September
New Delhi: The MiG-21 - that redoubtable warhorse of the Indian Air Force - will be phased out of active service by September, to be replaced by the newer and nimbler Tejas Mk1A fighter jets. The IAF has 36 MiG-21 planes left in its arsenal, a far cry from the nearly 900 - of which around 660 were built in India - that so successfully protected the nation's skies and territories. The MiG-21 first entered service in 1963, on a trial basis. The Russian-made jet went on to form the backbone of the Air Force till the mid-2000s, when the Sukhoi Su-30MKIs were brought in. The final variant to serve India - the ones which will now be phased out - was the Bison, which featured upgraded electronics and better navigation and communications systems. In October 2023, MiG-21 fighter aircraft from the No 4 squadron flew for one last time over the town of Barmer in Rajasthan, a 'farewell and thank you for the memories' moment it shared with the planes taking up its role in the state that borders Pakistan, the also Russian-made Sukhoi. #WATCH | Marking the end of an era, the MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft of the No 4 squadron of the Indian Air Force flew for the last time over the Uttarlai town in Barmer, Rajasthan. On this occasion, the MiG-21 Bison flew alongside the Su-30 MKI. — ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2023 "We will stop flying the MiG-21 fighter aircraft by 2025 and will replace them with the LCA Mark-1A," then-Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari had said then. In July 2022 the Air Force had confirmed a three-year timeline to phase out the four remaining MiG-21 squadrons still in service. The plan also involves phasing out the MiG-29s by 2027. The phasing out of the MiG-21 fleet comes after numerous crashes involving the aging plane, including an incident in Rajasthan in May 2023 in which the three villagers were killed. The MiG-21 in question took off from the Suratgarh Air Force base for a routine exercise when it crashed near Bahlol Nagar in Rajasthan's Hanumangarh after a 'technical snag'. The Air Force grounded the entire MiG-21 fleet after that accident. Among the earlier squadrons to have been phased out was the Srinagar-based No 51, which took part in Operation Safed Sagar during the Kargil war. It also repulsed Pakistan's retaliatory action in February 2019, a day after airstrikes in Balakot targeted terrorist camps in Pak. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, now a Group Captain, who shot down a Pak jet in aerial combat before he was forced down too and was captured, was from that squadron. Meanwhile, India is also developing a fifth-generation stealth fighter that will vault the country into an elite club - one of only three other countries with such advanced fighter aircraft. NDTV Explains | The multirole Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft will be a single-seat, twin-engine jet with advanced stealth coatings and internal weapons bays, and the plane - most of which will made in-house, at Bengaluru's Aeronautical Development Agency - will cost over Rs 15,000 crore.
Hans India
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Rajasthan border with Pakistan sealed; armed forces on high alert
Jaipur: A day after India's Operation Sindoor, the 1,037 km-long border that Rajasthan shares with Pakistan has been sealed, and the security significantly tightened. The Border Security Force (BSF) and Indian Air Force (IAF) are on maximum alert, conducting round-the-clock surveillance and combat patrols amid escalating regional tensions. All Western Sector airbases, including Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Nal, Phalodi, and Uttarlai, are on high alert. Fighter jets, including Sukhoi Su-30 MKIs armed with advanced weaponry, are patrolling the skies from Sri Ganganagar to the Rann of Kutch. On the ground, the BSF has intensified patrolling near the zero line. Additional troops have been deployed to sensitive sectors to ensure a swift response to any suspicious movement. Soldiers have been granted the authority to engage immediately, even at the slightest provocation. Anti-drone systems have been activated and are operating 24/7 to prevent any aerial intrusion from across the border. Despite the heightened military presence, villages along the Rajasthan border have not yet been evacuated. However, BSF Rajasthan Frontier Inspector General M.L. Garg has confirmed that emergency evacuation plans are in place. Additional personnel have been withdrawn from barracks and are stationed strategically as part of preparedness protocols. In response to current threats, fighter aircraft have been conducting frequent sorties from major Western Sector bases. On Wednesday morning, the roar of jets filled the skies, with multiple aircraft launching and landing throughout the day. These operations are part of a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued for intensive aerial exercises over a 48-hour period. Air defence missile systems have been activated in major Indian cities. In the event of an enemy aircraft entering Indian airspace, these systems are primed to intercept and neutralise aerial threats instantly. The Indian Army is also on full operational alert, with all border formations mobilised and ready. In light of recent Indian airstrikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), the Bikaner district administration has taken emergency fuel management measures. According to an official order issued by District Magistrate and Collector Namrata Vrishni, all petrol pumps in Bikaner are required to reserve 2,000 litres of petrol and 5,000 litres of diesel. This fuel stock will be prioritised for emergency response vehicles and essential services to ensure uninterrupted operations during a crisis. Further, there has been a significant mobilisation of Pakistani Army personnel in villages adjacent to the Rajasthan border, including regions from Khajuwala to Sri Ganganagar. The build-up has been reported in several key areas across the border, such as Khara Toba, Sirdakhli, Bijnoth, Zahuriwala, Rahimyar Khan, Sadiqabad, Khanpur, Liaqatpur, Yazman Mandi, Fort Abbas, Mujgarh Fort, Fakirwali, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, KK Tibba, and Lal Saharana National Park.
