India’s MiG-21 Retirement Exposes Serious Gaps in National Defense Preparedness

India’s retirement of the Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets marks the end of an era—but it also casts a harsh light on a defense establishment struggling to keep pace with modern warfare demands. For over sixty years, the MiG-21 served as the backbone of the Indian Air Force (IAF), fighting in wars against Pakistan and China. Yet this iconic jet earned grim nicknames such as “flying coffin” due to frequent crashes that claimed hundreds of lives—an alarming tally that reveals deeper systemic issues.While bidding farewell to these aging aircraft at Chandigarh air base, India’s leadership faced a sobering reality: their fighter...