How do I use git delete file to remove a tracked file from my repository?

I want to remove file1.txt from my Git repository completely—not just from my working directory but also from version control. What’s the proper way to git delete file so that it’s staged for deletion and removed in the next commit?

Do I need to use git rm, or is there another command that handles both the local deletion and Git index update? A simple example would be really helpful!