The Russian-made MiG-23 aircraft went down near the Halwara air base in Phagwara district of Punjab during a training mission, PTI said quoting an air force spokesman.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. There were also no immediate reports of any casualties on the ground.

Official figures show at least 221 MiGs, worth tens of millions of dollars, were lost in crashes between 1991 and 2000, killing about 100 Indian pilots.

A high-level meeting chaired by Defence Minister George Fernandes in November decided to phase out the ageing fleet of MiG-21 fighter jets.

SPACE.WIRE