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Shares of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Friday, September 25, surged as much as 2.2% to an intraday high of Rs 4,827.95 on the BSE after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a significant contract, worth Rs 62,370 crore, with the state-run aerospace company. According to a previous ET report, the MoD has signed a Rs 62,370 crore contract with HAL for the procurement of 97 Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets under the Buy (India-IDDM) category. The contract includes 68 fighter variants and 29 twi ...Read More >
NEW DELHI -- India retired its last fleet of Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets on Friday, ending more than six decades of service with an aircraft once celebrated for its combat prowess but later derided as a "flying coffin" due to frequent crashes. The phaseout underscores the urgency for the Indian air force to expand and modernize its air fleet to counter potential threats on two fronts from archrivals China and Pakistan. The decommissioning leaves the air force with 29 fighter squadrons, well ...Read More >
Enjoy 4.0% p.a. fixed returns with Versa starting August 2025 (New users only). Cash in RM100 & get RM10 FREE with code VERSAMM10! CHANDIGARH (India), Sept 26 -- Russian-built MiG-21s flew for the final time today, marking the end of an era for the country's first supersonic fighter jet -- lauded for its valour but tarnished by a legacy of some 400 crashes. Crowds cheered as officials staged a grand farewell for the final two MiG-21 squadrons, totalling around 36 aircraft, at an air force base ...Read More >
Mumbai, September 26: End of an era! India's iconic MiG‑21 warplane, after six decades of serving the Indian Air Force (IAF), took its last flight on September 26. The Indian Air Force bid adieu to the Russian-origin fighter jets, which were first inducted in 1963. The MiG-21 complete the circle of life at the Chandigarh Air Base, where it was first inducted over 60 years ago. Six Bison variants of the MiG-21, led by Air Chief Marshal AP Singh (call sign 'Badal 3'), soared above Chandigarh one ...Read More >
India, Sept 26, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - India's Russian-built MiG-21s flew for the final time Friday, marking the end of an era for the country's first supersonic fighter jet -- lauded for its valour but tarnished by a legacy of some 400 crashes. Crowds cheered as officials staged a grand farewell for the final two MiG-21 squadrons, totalling around 36 aircraft, at an air force base in the northern city of Chandigarh. The send-off came a day after New Delhi signed a $7-billion deal to acquire 97 dome ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) -- India retired its last fleet of Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets Friday, ending more than six decades of service with an aircraft once celebrated for its combat prowess but later derided as a "flying coffin" due to frequent crashes. The phaseout underscores the urgency for the Indian air force to expand and modernize its air fleet to counter potential threats on two fronts from its archrivals China and Pakistan. The decommissioning leaves the air force with 29 fighter squadrons ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) -- India retired its last fleet of Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets Friday, ending more than six decades of service with an aircraft once celebrated for its combat prowess but later derided as a "flying coffin" due to frequent crashes. The phaseout underscores the urgency for the Indian air force to expand and modernize its air fleet to counter potential threats on two fronts from its archrivals China and Pakistan. The decommissioning leaves the air force with 29 fighter squadrons ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force's MiG-21, the country's first supersonic fighter and interceptor aircraft, whose induction in the early 1960s catapulted the force into the jet age, roared in the Indian skies for one last time on Friday, leaving an enduring legacy and countless stories in its illustrious trail. But more than anyone else, the pilots who have flown these Soviet-era machines over the decades bid this workhorse of the Indian Air Force (IAF) a nostalgic farewell. Veteran pilot and f ...Read More >
Chandigarh [India], September 26 (ANI): After nearly six decades of service, the Indian Air Force on Friday retired its iconic MiG-21 fighter jet, which took its final sortie in a decommissioning ceremony held in Chandigarh in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The MiG-21 has long been the backbone of India's aerial might, representing the courage, precision, and resilience of generations of Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots. Also Read | Manmohan Singh Birth Anniversary 2025: Rahul Ga ...Read More >
Chandigarh [India], September 26 (ANI): Ahead of the decommissioning of the Indian Air Force's MiG-21 fighter aircraft in Chandigarh on Friday, Wing Commander Rajiv Battish (Retd.) termed the plane a "potent" one and an enigma for the Western Field. Speaking to ANI, Battish said that a large crowd gathering for the event to bid farewell to the aircraft reflected the sentiments of the people. "MiG-21 has a very long story and the fact that so many people have gathered here is the fact that we a ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sept 26: For more than six decades, a needle-nosed jet with Soviet origins has defined the story of Indian air power. The MiG-21, inducted in 1963, was India's first supersonic fighter. Its retirement this week closes a chapter that shaped the Indian Air Force (IAF), for better and worse. When it first arrived, the aircraft catapulted India into the jet age. At twice the speed of sound and capable of climbing with blistering acceleration, it transformed the IAF into a modern fighting ...Read More >
CHANDIGARH: In the MiG-21 cockpit, man and machine became one. Metal and sinew fused to create a warbird that punched above its weight -- like an ageing prize-fighter.Hear this from the pilot who has 4,306 hours on the MiG-21 -- more than anyone else in the world.On Friday, as the Indian Air Force formally retires the legendary warhorse, Air Commodore SS Tyagi (Retd) will be there to witness the final flight in Chandigarh.Air Commodore Tyagi (Retd) flew 6,316 sorties on the MiG-21 during his ser ...Read More >
Chandigarh, September 26: It will be a memorable and emotional reunion in Chandigarh, the City Beautiful, where its first squadron was commissioned in 1963, on Friday, as the skies will roar to give 'final salute' to the Russian-made MiG-21 that was inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) almost six decades ago. It will be a memorable but emotional reunion in Chandigarh, the City Beautiful, where its first squadron was commissioned in 1963, on Friday, as the skies will roar to give 'final salut ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], September 26 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he will be in Chandigarh on Friday to attend the Indian Air Force MiG-21 decommissioning ceremony. Today, 26th September, I shall be in Chandigarh. Shall attend the Decommissioning ceremony of IAF MiG-21. Looking forward to it. In a post on X, Rajnath Singh wrote, Today, 26th September, I shall be in Chandigarh. Shall attend the Decommissioning ceremony of IAF MiG-21. Looking forward to it. After serving for six decade ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], September 26 (ANI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he will be in Chandigarh on Friday to attend the Indian Air Force's MiG-21 decommissioning ceremony. In a post on X, Rajnath Singh wrote, "Today, 26th September, I shall be in Chandigarh. Shall attend the Decommissioning ceremony of IAF's MiG-21. Looking forward to it." After serving for six decades, the iconic MiG-21 is going to retire today. The aircraft leaves behind a record of unmatched service and a legacy that w ...Read More >
The Fire and Fury Corps of the Army carried out a night-time casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) at 17,000 feet in Ladakh on Thursday after receiving a request to evacuate a South Korean national, Hyun Woo Kim, and his wife, stranded at Kongmarula Pass. Following the rescue, the Army later confirmed through a Fire and Fury Corps X post that one of the mountaineers lost his life after the rescue operation. "Fire and Fury Corps expresses heartfelt condolences to the family of the mountaineer who unfor ...Read More >
New Delhi: Amid growing bonhomie with New Delhi, Russia is carrying out studies to determine the level of investments that it would require to manufacture its Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jet in India. India has stated that it has a requirement for at least two to three squadrons of fifth-generation fighter jets and the Russian Su-57 along with the American F-35 is a contender for the project. Indian public sector unit Hindustan Aeronautics Limited already licenses and manufactures the Russi ...Read More >
Vanity vans lined up on the tarmac and film crew with cameras waited for that perfect frame to capture MiG-21 jets roaring across the skies of Bikaner Nal Air Force Station for the shooting of upcoming Bollywood movie Love And War. IMAGE: File image of a MiG-21 fighter jet. Photograph: ANI Photo/IAF The moment marked the jet's last operational flight ahead of its retirement next month. The airbase doubled up as a set for the Sanjay Leela Bhansali-directed film where the MiG-21 will play a dec ...Read More >
Previously, the Indian Air Force had purchased 22 Apache helicopters. ShowQuick Read Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed * India will receive its first consignment of Apache attack helicopters from the US on July 21 * The AH-64E helicopters will be deployed on the Pakistan border from Hindon Air Force Station * Apache helicopters have advanced targeting, night vision, and communication systems for diverse roles Did our AI summary help? Let us know. New Delhi: In a big boost to th ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 17 (PTI) State-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) on Thursday received the first set of wing assemblies for its Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (Mk1A) programme. The wing assemblies have been produced by Larsen & Toubro. HAL Chairman and Managing Director D K Sunil described it as a "testament" to years of "dedicated hand-holding and a shared commitment to excellence" by the aerospace major and the L&T. "The HAL is working with suppliers, both large and SMEs, as an ...Read More >
New Delhi: In a significant push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Thursday granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for 10 capital acquisition proposals valued at approximately Rs 1.05 lakh crore. As per an official statement, all these procurements will be sourced indigenously, further strengthening India's commitment to 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' in defence production. Key land and air systems cleared The ...Read More >
Gurgaon: The city, which is growing at a rapid pace, stands at a crossroads where it can learn from several innovative urban management practices of other Indian cities to tackle its own challenges. At the national conference of urban local bodies in Manesar on Thursday, mayors and municipal corporations from across the country shared their strategies, offering valuable insights for Gurgaon to consider.Surat generates Rs 140 crore from selling sewage-treated water to industries and has introduce ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The Army this month will finally get three of the six long-delayed Apache attack helicopters, dubbed "tanks in the air", under the Rs 5,691 crore deal inked with the US in February 2020.The first three Boeing-manufactured Apache gunships will be delivered around July 15, with the next three coming by Nov. US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth had assured defence minister Rajnath Singh, during a telephonic conversation Tuesday, that the six heavy-duty choppers will be delivered within t ...Read More >
Dibrugarh: In one of the largest anti-encroachment drives in recent years, the Lakhimpur district administration on Thursday demolished 218 illegal homes and cleared 288 bighas of encroached land across three Village Grazing Reserves (VGRs).The eviction drive, which was conducted under the supervision of district commissioner (DC) Pronab Jit Kakoty and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gunendra Deka, saw a massive deployment of police and paramilitary forces, along with 12 excavators, at Phu ...Read More >
New Delhi: A single missile. Thirty seconds. That is all Pakistan had when India's BrahMos slammed into the Nur Khan Airbase - just minutes from Islamabad. No early warning. No clear warhead signature. No time to guess whether it carried a conventional payload or a nuclear one. Rana Sanaullah Khan, special assistant to Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, went public. He said that 30-second window nearly sparked a nuclear chain reaction. His words were not laced with bravado. They carried ...Read More >
Thane, Jun 29 (PTI) Police have arrested a 30-year-old fruit seller for illegally possessing two country-made pistols in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Sunday. Acting on a tip-off, the police's anti-extortion cell raided the man's premises at Bandarpada locality in Kalyan area on June 25, assistant police inspector Sunil Tarmale said. The police seized two country-made pistols and a live cartridge, valued at Rs 1.05 lakh, from the fruit seller, who had two previous criminal ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Indian Armed Forces, during Operation Sindoor, decimated the terror launchpads and training camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (PoK). Reports now suggest that Pakistan has initiated a fresh effort to reconstruct terror camps. This rebuilding process is receiving full support from Pakistan's military, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and government authorities. During the operation, the India's S-400 air defence systems also played a pivotal role. Now, the Modi g ...Read More >
By Shivam Patel NEW DELHI, May 27 (Reuters) - India's defense minister has approved a framework for building the country's most advanced stealth fighter jet, the defense ministry said on Tuesday, amid a new arms race with Pakistan weeks after a military conflict between the neighbors. Indian state-run Aeronautical Development Agency, which is executing the program, will shortly invite initial interest from defense firms for developing a prototype of the warplane, envisaged as a twin-engine 5th ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's defence minister has approved a framework for building the country's most advanced stealth fighter jet, the defence ministry said on Tuesday, amid a new arms race with Pakistan weeks after a military conflict between the neighbours. Indian state-run Aeronautical Development Agency, which is executing the programme, will shortly invite initial interest from defence firms for developing a prototype of the warplane, envisaged as a twin-engine 5th generation fighter, t ...Read More >
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