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NDTV
3 days ago
- General
- NDTV
MiG-21's Final Flight: Why Training, Not The Jet, Failed Air Force Pilots
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to retire its fleet of Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets in September. The aircraft, which played a key role in India's military campaigns, including the 1971 war against Pakistan, has been both celebrated as a formidable war machine and stigmatised as the "flying coffin" due to its high accident rate. With just two months until the final flight on September 19, historian and Indian Air Force expert Anchit Gupta joined NDTV to provide a detailed perspective on the MiG-21's legacy, dissecting its triumphs, challenges, and the reasons behind its controversial nickname. Introduced to the IAF in 1963, the MiG-21 was initially acquired for a specific role: as a high-altitude interceptor designed to counter aircraft like the American U-2 spy plane. Mr Gupta, whose father flew the MiG-21 during his service, recalled the aircraft's distinct roar as a morning alarm at airbases. "The MiG-21 is extremely close to my heart. And I saw my father fly it. We used to live at the bases. That was our alarm in the morning to wake up. I remember 1986 Operation Brasstacks. My father was in Bhuj, going into the trenches and counting the aircraft coming back to the base. So there is an emotion to MiG-21 for all of us," Mr Gupta told NDTV. MiG-21F-13, designated Type 74 from 1963 The IAF operated around 800 to 1,000 MiG-21s over six decades, a scale unmatched by most air forces. Of these, approximately 300 were lost in accidents. "That is a very sobering statistic. But there's no time lapse to that statistic, and therefore, people struggle to make sense of it. I think the answer very much lies in what we did with the aircraft. The aircraft was acquired for a very, very limited role, to be honest. It was a high-altitude interceptor. The original design of the MIG was to intercept the U-2," Mr Gupta said. The aircraft's role evolved far beyond its original design, encompassing ground attack, fighter reconnaissance, air defence, and, critically, jet training -- a role, Mr Gupta said, it was never intended to fulfil. "Flying Coffin" Label: A Misnomer? The MiG-21's reputation as a "flying coffin" stems from its high crash rate. Mr Gupta challenged this label, arguing that the aircraft's accident record is less about inherent flaws and more about systemic issues in pilot training and aircraft acquisition. "It's very much linked to our procurement. Our combat squadron strength went from eight squadrons in 1947 to nearly 40 squadrons in 1965. Now you have sanctioned it, how do you acquire? And so we were huffing and puffing to acquire more aircraft, and MiG-21 came out of nowhere with the USSR saying, 'Listen, I'll do technology transfer, you manufacture it locally.' It was something that really fell into our laps," Mr Gupta told NDTV. The MiG-21 When the MiG-21 entered service, only the IAF's most experienced pilots were assigned to it due to its demanding flight characteristics. The aircraft's small size, limited cockpit visibility, and high landing speed of over 300 km/h made it unforgiving, particularly for novices. The MiG-21U trainer variant was ill-suited for training. The IAF relied on subsonic trainers like the Kiran and Iskra, which were inadequate for preparing pilots for the MiG-21's supersonic performance. The gap between basic trainers and the MiG-21 widened as the fleet expanded from eight squadrons in 1963 to nearly half the IAF's strength by the 1980s. "The biggest difference is speed. The speed at which you are performing the manoeuvres, the actions that you are doing, dramatically changes. That is the biggest difference, whether it is mid-air manoeuvres, whether it is landing or whether it is taking off,' Mr Gupta said. The "Human Error" Factor The IAF's attribution of many MiG-21 crashes to "human error" has often been misunderstood, he added. Mr Gupta explained that human error, in aviation terms, does not necessarily blame the pilot. "Air Force doesn't mean 'human error' in the way people interpret it," Mr Gupta said. "In the simplest form it means that when you've done an accident investigation, you've realised that the accident happened because the pilot in control made a mistake. Now that mistake has a cause behind it. That cause could be training. You have not trained the pilot appropriately. That cause could be inexperience. "That cause could be psychological, that cause could be disorientation, tons of causes behind it." For young pilots transitioning from subsonic trainers to the MiG-21, the lack of adequate preparation was a significant contributor. The stigma of "human error" often compounds the pain for families, who perceive it as blaming the pilot rather than acknowledging systemic issues. "I haven't met a single MiG-21 pilot who said he didn't love the jet," Mr Gupta said. "It's a big regret. They love the aircraft, but they love their colleagues more. And every life lost is a story that remains etched on the psyche forever. I think the human element is actually made worse off by how we categorise the loss. To the family or to a civilian, it sounds like we're blaming the pilot, and then the emotion comes out. The guy had barely started flying. This is an unforgiving aircraft, the aircraft has problems, and now you have the audacity to blame the pilot and say 'human error,'" he added. The MiG-21's Combat Record Despite its challenges, the MiG-21's combat record is formidable. During the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the MiG-21FL (Type 77) earned the moniker "runway buster" for its ground attack role, with 240 units manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The aircraft was instrumental in India's victory. In 1999, during the Kargil conflict, MiG-21s performed admirably, though the war also saw the loss of Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja in a crash. Post-Kargil, Squadron Leader Prashant Kumar Bundela shot down a Pakistani Atlantique maritime patrol aircraft. In 2019, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, flying a MiG-21 Bison, engaged Pakistani aircraft during the Balakot operation, downing an F-16 despite facing advanced adversaries like AMRAAM-armed F-16s and JF-17s. The Bison variant, introduced in the early 2000s, remains contemporary, equipped with an Israeli jammer, Russian R-77 and R-73 missiles, a partial glass cockpit, and a helmet-mounted sight. Its short scramble time makes it ideal for forward bases like Srinagar, where it outperformed alternatives like the MiG-29. "There's a very interesting point around the 2019 incident. You know, there's a lens people wear which says, 'Why was the MiG-21 there? Why didn't we have the MiG-29? Why didn't we have the Su-30?' People don't know that there was no other aircraft capable of being at Srinagar at that time other than the MiG-21. It has the shortest scramble time to date," Mr Gupta said. The MiG-29 "We have replaced it with a MiG-29 in Srinagar. I hate to say this, but it is not ideal for Srinagar, even today. A MiG-21 today is more ideal than the units we have there because you don't have a gyro, you have a single engine, light it, off you go, and therefore even today in the last 8 to 10 years or longer, MIG-21 has been our Operational Readiness Platform (ORP) guardian. It is the jet that scrambles. You put small detachments across all our forward bases. Imagine with the MIG-21 going away, who's supposed to fill that shoe? Who is supposed to fill that shoe? It's supposed to be the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). It is supposed to be the LCA. I hope it does," he added.
India.com
7 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Bad news for Mukesh Ambani as loses Rs 660000000000 due to…, not US, but EU finds way to kill Russian oil
The European Union has imposed a ban on the import of Russian oil from third countries which means no EU nation can now import Russian-origin crude or refined products irrespective of where it is processed or shipped from. This move can impact India, which was exporting around $15 billion of refined petroleum products annually to European markets. With this new restriction, that entire revenue stream is now at risk. EU's Move Hits India Hard In recent weeks, former U.S. President Donald Trump had made statements of curbing trade in Russian oil, but they had little impact on countries like India and China. However, the EU's latest decision has given a serious blow to Mukesh Ambani. On Monday, after the EU's announcement, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) shares declined over 3%, wiping out more than Rs 66,000 crore in market capitalisation. The new EU rule bans the import of Russian oil, even if it is refined in a third country like India. This directly affects companies like Reliance Industries, one of India's largest exporters of refined crude oil products to Europe. India's Oil Trade With Russia and Europe According to reports, India exported $19.2 billion worth of petroleum products to the EU in FY24. However, in FY25, this number dropped by 27.1% to $15 billion, after growing scrutiny over the origin of crude used. At the same time, India imported $50.3 billion of crude oil from Russia in FY25, so Russian oil now accounts for over 44% of India's total crude basket. Big Blow To Reliance Industries The impact can be seen on Reliance Industries, which has become the largest importer of Russian crude oil. In December 2024, RIL signed a 10-year deal with Russia's Rosneft to import around 500,000 barrels per day of Russian crude at around $13 billion annually. This move helped RIL to refine the cheaper Russian crude and export the high-margin products, especially diesel, to Europe. As of October 2024, Reliance was importing an average of 405,000 barrels per day from Russia which was over one-third of its total crude oil intake. With Russian crude priced $3–4 per barrel cheaper than Middle Eastern grades, RIL had been benefiting from healthy refining margins and strong demand in European markets. But the EU's ban has now threatens this business model. Reliance Industries Lost 66,000 Crore After the EU's decision, Reliance shares fell sharply. On the BSE, RIL stock closed at Rs 1,428.20, down 3.29% from the previous close. During the session, it hit a day's low of Rs 1,423.05. The stock had opened at Rs 1,474.95, slightly below its previous close of Rs 1,476.85. The decline resulted in a massive hit to Reliance's market capitalisation. On Friday, the company's market cap was at Rs 19,98,543.22 crore. By the end of Monday's trading session, it had fallen to Rs 19,32,707.74 crore which was a drop of Rs 65,835.48 crore in a single day.
News18
22-07-2025
- Business
- News18
Legendary MiG-21 jets set to retire after over six decades in service
New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) The legendary Russian-origin MiG-21 aircraft are finally set to retire from the Indian Air Force (IAF) in September after remaining in service for over six decades, people aware of the development said on Tuesday. The last of the MiG-21 jets, belonging to number 23 Squadron, nicknamed 'Panthers" will be given a farewell at a ceremony in Chandigarh airbase on September 19, they said. The MiG-21s used to be the mainstay of the IAF for a long period of time. After its first induction in the 1960s, the IAF procured over 870 MiG-21 fighters to boost its overall combat prowess. However, the aircraft has a very poor safety record. The MiG-21s were the dominant platforms during 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. The aircraft also played a key role in the 1999 Kargil conflict as well as 2019 Balakot airstrikes. With phasing out of the last of the few MiG-21s, the number of the IAF's fighter squadrons is expected to come down to an abysmal low of 29 from the officially sanctioned strength of 42. The IAF was planning to replace the MiG-21s with Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (Mark1A). However, there has been delays in supply of the indigenously-built aircraft by the state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with HAL for the procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A jets for the IAF. The ministry is also in the process of procuring 97 more LCA Mk-1As at a cost of around Rs 67,000 crore. Tejas is a single-engine multi-role fighter aircraft capable of operating in high-threat air environments. It has been designed to undertake air defence, maritime reconnaissance and strike roles. The HAL is looking at supplying 12 Tejas jets to the IAF by March, 2025. PTI MPB KVK KVK (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 22:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Who is US Senator Lindsey Graham, and why has he threatened 100% tariffs on India?
In continuation of the Trump administration's increasingly critical stance on Russia of late, Senator Lindsey Graham of the Republican Party criticised countries that continue to trade with Russia. 'Trump is going to impose tariffs on people that buy Russian oil – China, India, and Brazil,' Graham told Fox News in an interview. These three countries account for around 80 per cent of Russia's crude exports, which Graham argued is helping in funding the war in Ukraine. These remarks follow similar remarks by US President Donald Trump and NATO chief Mark Rutte, who promised tough sanctions on Russia in retaliation for its continued war with Ukraine. Graham is sponsoring a tough sanctions bill on Russia, which, if passed by Congress, would impose 500% tariffs on countries that purchase Russian oil, like China and India. Here is what to know about the Senator and the bill he is sponsoring. Graham is a former US Air Force officer and attorney who has served as the US Senator from South Carolina's 3rd Congressional District since 2003. He is presently the chair of the Senate Budget Committee, and previously chaired the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary between 2019 and 2021. Notably, Graham served as a member of the USAF Reserve while in Congress, and held the rank of colonel when he retired in 2015. Not too long ago, Graham was a presidential hopeful and sought the Republican nomination in 2016, earning the endorsement of former Republican presidential candidate John McCain. While Graham had criticised Trump's candidacy at the time, he changed tack after Trump entered the White House. He is known for his endorsement of aggressive interventionist foreign policy and sweeping immigration reform. In the past, he has been open to bipartisan consensus on issues ranging from climate change and gun control legislation, while also pushing for increased national security spending and a ban on abortion at 20 weeks. Sponsored by Graham, the sweeping bill was introduced in the US Senate on April 1 and threatens penalties on all parties working with Russia, particularly if Trump determines that Russia is: The bill authorises the president to impose sanctions, including blocking visas and properties as applicable on top members of the Kremlin, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as Russian and Russian-origin financial institutions. It authorises economic sanctions to the tune of 500% tariffs on all imports from Russia into the US, as well as up to 500% tariffs on countries trading with the US while importing Russian-origin uranium and petroleum products. The bill also prohibits rerouting the trade of US-origin energy products to Russia. India has maintained a 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership' with Russia since 2010, with strong bilateral ties in several areas of interest, including political, security, trade and economy, defence, science and technology and culture. Sanctions targeting Russia, if realised, would invariably impact India given the extent of trade, and force it to consider other importers. In FY 2024-25, bilateral trade between the two nations peaked at $68.7 billion, about 5.8 times the pre-pandemic trade of $10.1 billion. India maintains a trade deficit with Russia, with Russian imports, dominated by petro-oil products and fertilisers, valued at $63.84 billion, and Indian exports valued at $4.88 billion for this period. India and Russia aim to achieve $100 billion in trade by 2030. In May 2025, India imported Russian crude oil at about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd), its highest value in 10 months, according to a Reuters report. A significant share of this order can be credited to the $13 billion megadeal between Reliance Industries and Russia's state oil firm Rosneft last December, which would supply nearly 500,000 bpd of crude oil. The two nations also committed to increasing bilateral investment to $50 billion by 2025. In December 2024, Russian investments in India, primarily in sectors like oil and gas, petrochemicals, steel and banking, were valued at $20 billion. Indian investments in Russia were valued at $16 billion in October 2023. China is Russia's largest trading partner, with trade valued at $237 billion in 2024, according to Chinese customs data cited in a Reuters report. Brazil also counts Russia as one of its 15 top trading partners, with bilateral trade in 2022 valued at $9.8 billion. How the bill is progressing The momentum on the bill picked up earlier this month, even as President Trump expressed his frustration with the perceived non-compliance of Russia in ending its three-year-long war with Ukraine. Until about a month ago, Trump had described Putin as a 'nice gentleman', while calling his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy a 'dictator' who was toying with World War III. However, he took a step back from this position last week, saying he was 'disappointed' with Putin, even as he was 'not done with him'. Trump also said he planned to send weapons to Ukraine, after halting American military supplies to the country after entering the White House in January. Putin has long expressed his interest in retaining control of the Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russia, barring Ukrainian entry to NATO (seen as a threat to Russian sovereignty), and replacing Zelenskyy with a Russia-friendly president. For Trump, the failure to end the war dents his image as a dealmaker, who can bring countries to the table for negotiations that seemingly favour his America First agenda. The rhetoric from Graham aside, it may be a while before the bill sees the light of day. According to Politico reporting, the bill in its current form would require layers of congressional approval for the US President to introduce sanctions. However, Trump has often favoured an autocratic style of governance that bypasses congressional approval. The report suggested that Team Trump would favour revising the bill accordingly.
Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
MiG-21s to retire by September: Journey of the fighter jet that won wars, but was always under accident cloud
The Russian-origin MiG-21 fighter jets — which have helped India win wars but also earned the dubious label of 'the flying coffin' due to several fatal accidents — are set to be phased out of service in September this year. The Indian Air Force had earlier announced plans to replace the squadrons with the indigenously developed Tejas Mark-1A aircraft. Sources in the military confirmed to The Indian Express that the Indian Air Force is set to retire the remaining Russian-origin MiG-21 fleet in a ceremonial decommissioning on September 19 at the Chandigarh airbase. The MiG-21s are among the six fighter jets flown by the Indian Air Force (IAF), and have for long been the backbone of the IAF. The MiG-21s are single engine, single-seater multi-role fighter/ground attack aircraft. While they were first inducted in 1963 as an interceptor aircraft, over the next few decades they were upgraded to perform a variety of roles performed by a fighter aircraft, including ground attack. India has procured over 700 MiG-21 aircraft of different variants since then, such as the Type-77, Type-96 and the BIS. The latest of them are the MiG-21 Bison, which is an upgraded aircraft with advanced missiles and radars and better avionics. Over a 100 MiG-21s with the IAF have been upgraded to Bison since 2006. The aircraft have proved their mettle in several wars fought by India. For instance, in the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, the MiG-21s (Type 77 variant) had played a major role in swaying the war's result in India's favour. The combat jet was also among the mainstay of the IAF in the 1965 war and the 1999 Kargil conflict with Pakistan. In 2019, Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman (then a Wing Commander) of the erstwhile Srinagar-based No 51 squadron was flying a MiG-21 Bison when he downed a F-16 aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force. MiG accidents and causes As per government data, over 500 MiG-21s have crashed in the last 60 years, killing over 170 pilots. More than 20 aircraft have crashed since 2010. In fact, in the very first year of its induction in 1963, two of the Soviet-era aircraft had crashed. In May 2023, a MiG-21 fighter jet of the IAF crashed near Rajasthan's Suratgarh while it was on a routine operational training sortie. While the pilot sustained minor injuries after ejection, the aircraft wreckage fell on a house in Bahlol Nagar in Hanumangarh district in the state, killing three civilians. In July 2022, a trainer version of the fighter aircraft crashed, killing two pilots on board. In 2021, five MiG-21 Bison crashes killed three pilots. The reasons for the crashes have been several — ranging from technical defects, human error, bird hits or spatial disorientation of pilots in certain circumstances. What is the phase-out plan of the aircraft? There are three squadrons of MiG-21 Bison aircraft currently in service in the IAF. Each squadron comprises 16-18 aircraft, aside from one or two trainer versions. In September 2022, the decorated Srinagar-based No 51 squadron was number plated, or retired. The three MiG-21 Bison squadrons are planned to be phased out now. The IAF has a sanctioned squadron strength of 42, even as its current squadron strength is around 30. Phasing out the fighter jets earlier would bring down the IAF's fighter squadron strength at dangerously low levels, especially till they are replaced by the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas squadrons. Senior IAF officers, particularly those who have flown the aircraft, have often said the aircraft does not have an abysmal safety record when compared to the number of flying hours and the years in service. What is the history of their induction? In 1963, the induction of a supersonic aircraft in the IAF was a pressing need, given the 1962 war with China and tensions with Pakistan. The USA had already supplied one of its newest aircraft, the F-104 Starfighter, to Pakistan, and there was considerable anxiety in the political and military leadership in India. The F-104 had also been considered by the IAF for induction, but the US was not very keen to supply them in large numbers in order to keep a balance between India and Pakistan. Incidentally, the F-104 Starfighter went on to be known as 'The Widowmaker'. The first six MiG-21s arrived in Chandigarh in April 1963 after they were flown from No.2 Equipment Depot Bombay to Chandigarh via Agra. They were earlier received in Bombay in a disassembled condition and had been put together by a team of Soviet engineers and were test flown by their pilots. What has been the representation of MiG-21 in popular culture? In September 2001, a MiG-21 crash in Suratgarh claimed the life of Flight Lieutenant Abhijeet Gadgil soon after take-off. There was a controversy when the pilot's mother, Kavita Gadgil, raised the issue of technical defects in the aircraft and said that her son was being wrongly blamed for the crash. She received a letter from the then Inspector General of Flight Safety of IAF, Air Marshal Ashok Goyal, accusing her of demoralising the IAF with her statements. The then Air Chief, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, apologised for the tone of the letter and wrote to Kavita Gadgil withdrawing it and absolving her son of any blame. The struggle of Kavita Gadgil to highlight safety issues with the MiG-21 aircraft led to the inclusion of her story in the Hindi Movie 'Rang De Basanti', which was released in 2006 and went on to become a blockbuster.
