India’s MiG-21 era may have come to an end but the fighter jet’s long journey with the Indian Air Force is now being revisited through a new documentary. The Last Salute: A Love Letter To MiG-21 is set to take viewers through the aircraft’s 62-year journey, from its induction into the Indian Air Force to its final days in service.
When Is The Last Salute: A Love Letter To MiG-21 Releasing?
The Last Salute: A Love Letter To MiG-21 will be released on August 26, 2026.
The documentary arrives after the MiG-21 officially completed its long service with the Indian Air Force. The aircraft remained part of India’s air defence for more than six decades.
Where Can You Watch The Last Salute: A Love Letter To MiG-21?
The documentary will be available to watch on Netflix from August 26. Netflix India’s official Instagram account released the teaser where it confirmed the release date.
What Is The Last Salute: A Love Letter To MiG-21 About?
The documentary looks at the 62-year operational journey of the MiG-21 in India. The aircraft was first inducted into Indian service in 1963 and went on to become a major part of the country’s air defence.
Rather than focusing only on the aircraft’s technical details, the documentary looks at the people who flew, maintained and lived alongside the MiG-21 over the decades.
The film also takes viewers back to Air Force Station Chandigarh, the same base where the Soviet-origin MiG-21 was first inducted into Indian service. The location therefore becomes an important part of the documentary’s story as the aircraft returns to the place where its Indian journey began for its final farewell.
How Did The MiG-21 Shape India’s Military History?
The documentary traces the MiG-21’s role through several major chapters of India’s military history.
It looks at the aircraft’s involvement in the 1965 and 1971 wars when the supersonic fighter played an important role in India’s aerial operations. It also revisits its use during the 1999 Kargil War.
Another important chapter covered in the documentary is the 2019 Balakot aftermath when a MiG-21 Bison was involved in an aerial engagement and shot down a Pakistani F-16, according to the material around the documentary.
Who Directed The Last Salute: A Love Letter To MiG-21?
The Last Salute: A Love Letter To MiG-21 has been co-created and directed by filmmaker Kushal Srivastava. The project has been produced in official collaboration with the Indian Air Force and Matchbox Shots and is presented as a Netflix India original.
