March 08
An Indian Air Force MiG 21 crashed in Rajasthan today. The pilot of the fighter jet ejected and is reported to be safe.
News agency PTI, quoting Bikaner’s superintendent of police, reported that the MiG-21 jet crashed in Bikaner’s Shoba Sar ki Dhani area.
The Indian Air Force said in a statement that the MiG-21 had taken from the Indian Air Force’s Nal airbase in Rajasthan and that it was on a routine mission.
The MiG-21 crash in Rajasthan comes at a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. Air forces of both the countries have been involved in bombing missions in respective territories.
Indian and Pakistani jets even got into a dogfight over Jammu and Kashmir on February 27 leading to the brief capture of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.