India to retire ‘flying coffin’ MiG-21 after 400 crashes, 200 pilot deaths
New Delhi: In a move long demanded by aviation experts and grieving families alike, India has finally announced the complete retirement of its Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets—infamously dubbed the “flying coffin”—by September 2025, after over 400 crashes and the deaths of nearly 200 pilots.
According to Kashmir Media Service, only 36 MiG-21 Bison aircraft remain in service, currently deployed at Nal Air Base in Rajasthan. These ageing jets will be replaced by the indigenously developed Tejas Mark 1A, part of India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, aimed at reducing reliance on foreign military hardware.
Despite initial setbacks and delays flagged by the Indian Air Force (IAF), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has promised to deliver at least six Tejas jets by March 2026. A $6.7 billion contract for 83 Tejas aircraft underscores India’s largest domestic aerospace deal since independence.
The MiG-21, inducted in 1963, was India’s first supersonic jet. It saw action in the 1971 war against Pakistan, the 1999 Kargil conflict, and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, where one aircraft was shot down by Pakistan and its pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured—his return marked a rare moment of de-escalation in India-Pakistan tensions.
Out of approximately 900 MiG-21s inducted over the decades, more than 400 met with fatal crashes, killing up to 200 pilots and 60 civilians, making it one of the most accident-prone aircraft in the world. Despite mid-life upgrades, the jet remained outclassed by modern fighters like China’s J-20 and Pakistan’s JF-17 Block III.
Powered by a Tumansky R-25-300 engine, the MiG-21 Bison could reach Mach 2.05, but lagged behind in avionics and survivability. In contrast, the Tejas Mark 1A offers digital fly-by-wire controls, AESA radar, integrated electronic warfare systems, and compatibility with Astra BVR missiles, along with a reduced radar signature and composite airframe for agility.
The shift from the MiG-21 to the Tejas comes amid rising regional airpower rivalries in the Indo-Pacific, where China continues to expand its stealth fleet.
