New Delhi, Oct. 31 -- MiG-21, the most produced supersonic fighter, has been a cornerstone of the Indian Air Force for over six decades, demonstrating incredible versatility from the 1971 Dacca bombing to downing an F-16 in 2019. Despite early operational challenges and a controversial "flying coffin" nickname, its adaptability and long service have cemented its legacy as a pivotal aircraft in Indian military aviation.
In the history of military aviation, no fighter has been made in such large numbers-more than 11,500 worldwide, with 850 of them flown by the Indian Air Force. None has been so versatile, so long-serving, so glorified- and so unkindly reviled-as the MiG-21.
December 1971: Indian troops had surrounded Dacca, yet the Pakistan...