MiG-21 decommissioning: Jairam Ramesh recalls how Nehru withstood pressure from US, UK to choose Soviet jet
Published on: Sept. 26, 2025, 10:36 p.m. | Source: The Economic Times
India's MiG-21 fighter jets retired after six decades of service. The country's first supersonic aircraft concluded its operational history. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh highlighted the 1962 India-USSR pact. This agreement secured the MiG-21 despite US and UK pressure. Jawaharlal Nehru and V K Krishna Menon held firm on the deal. The pact enabled local manufacturing and technology transfer.
