On September 26, the Indian Air Force (IAF) retired its last MiG-21s at Chandigarh Air Force Station. Air Chief Marshal AP Singh led the final flight of six jets, marking the end of a six-decade era for India’s legendary Soviet-designed interceptor.
Khrushchev’s MiG-21 Legacy
India acquired the MiG-21 from the Soviet Union under Nikita Khrushchev in the 1960s to counter Pakistan’s US-built F-104 Starfighters. Over the years, the IAF operated more than 1,200 MiG-21s, with 800 built locally at Nasik. These jets played a key role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, outperforming rival fighters and establishing a lasting legacy.
The Modernization Challenge
With the MiG-21 retired, the IAF faces a shortfall, currently operating 29 squadrons against a sanctioned 42. Delays in the delivery of indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas and Tejas Mark 2 jets exacerbate the gap, making rapid modernization a pressing need.
Enter Putin’s Su-57s
India plans to acquire around 63 Russian Su-57 fifth-generation fighters. The Nasik production facility, which built hundreds of MiGs and now produces Su-30MKIs, could license-produce Su-57s, reviving India’s Soviet-era manufacturing capability in a modern context.
Bridging the Gap with Indigenous Fighters
Alongside the Su-57, the LCA Tejas line remains critical for restoring squadron strength. India’s own Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) is still a decade away from entering service, making the Su-57 a potential short-term solution to replace the MiG-21 legacy.
The Strategic Question
The central question remains: can Putin’s Su-57s inherit the mantle of Khrushchev’s MiG-21s in India? These jets must continue a lineage of air power that has shaped India’s defense strategy for over sixty years, bridging the gap between Cold War-era fighters and 21st-century capabilities.
