After serving the nation for over six decades, the Indian Air Force (IAF) officially retired its last MiG-21 squadrons — No. 23 Panthers and No. 3 Cobras — in September 2025. The ceremony at Chandigarh Air Force Station marked the end of an era as Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh led the final sortie of the MiG-21 Bison.

The handover of the aircraft logbooks, or Form 700, symbolised the closure of India’s longest-serving combat aircraft. Originally inducted in 1963 and produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from 1971 under Soviet licence, the MiG-21 had participated in every major conflict since the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War.

With the MiG-21’s retirement, the IAF’s strength has reduced to 29 squadrons, well below the sanctioned 42. This decline, the lowest since the 1960s, has intensified concerns over India’s operational readiness and its ability to maintain a regional air superiority edge.

Despite extensive policy discussions since the 1980s, successive delays in indigenous programmes have prolonged dependence on ageing platforms.

HAL’s Nashik facility witnessed a defining moment on 17 October 2025 when the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) TEJAS MK-1A took its maiden flight. The occasion, attended by nearly 800 employees, reflected India’s transition from Russian-origin legacy fighters to indigenous platforms.

The TEJAS MK-1A variant, featuring an advanced radar, improved maintainability, and contemporary avionics, is expected to become a key force multiplier. However, production remains slow, with deliveries of the 83 aircraft ordered in 2021 now targeted for completion by 2029.

HAL currently receives two F404-IN20 engines per month from GE Aerospace, creating a bottleneck for sustained production. Despite an additional order for 97 TEJAS MK-1A aircraft reportedly finalised this October, HAL’s capacity and supply chain reliability remain critical concerns. The IAF Chief has emphasised that sustaining combat potential requires at least two squadrons — roughly 35 aircraft — inducted annually.

The TEJAS MK-1A remains a fourth to 4.5-generation platform, making it a transitional fighter rather than a long-term solution. The TEJAS MK-2, designed as a 4.5-generation replacement for Mirage 2000, Jaguar, and MiG-29 fleets, has faced repeated delays, with its prototype now expected in 2026.

Meanwhile, the fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is being developed to enter service by 2035, heralding India’s entry into the stealth fighter category. However, experts caution that unless engine development and private sector participation accelerate, timelines may slip further.

Senior IAF leaders and defence analysts have consistently underlined the urgent need for indigenous engine development and private sector integration. They advocate prioritising domestic propulsion solutions to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. Others echo the call for strategic partnerships in engine design, enhancement of long-range stand-off weapon capabilities, and robust counter-drone systems.

Parallel to indigenous efforts, the Ministry of Defence is finalising the contract for 114 Rafale fighter jets, with 18 to be delivered directly from France as early as the next fiscal year.

This procurement, coupled with the TEJAS MK-1A and MK-2 programs, aims to stabilise squadron numbers in the near term. Yet, as former IAF Chief Arup Raha warned nearly a decade ago, India still needs over 200 additional fighters to restore its sanctioned strength and maintain deterrence.

The success of India’s airpower modernisation will depend on synchronising indigenous manufacturing with selective foreign acquisitions.

The immediate priorities lie in ramping up production rates, expediting the AMCA and MK-2 projects, and ensuring engine self-reliance. The legacy of the MiG-21 now passes to the TEJAS — a symbol of national resilience and technological aspiration — as India strives toward a future of aerospace autonomy.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)