The MiG-21 Bison was India's final MiG-21bis upgrade, combining the Soviet-origin Fishbed airframe with a Kopyo radar, modern navigation/attack avionics, countermeasures, helmet-cued short-range missile employment, and beyond-visual-range missile compatibility. Its most tightly documented combat use in the catalog is the 27 February 2019 India-Pakistan aerial engagement over Kashmir; the type left Indian Air Force service in September 2025.
During the 27 February 2019 aerial engagement, Indian armed forces said MiG-21 Bison aircraft were tasked to intercept Pakistan Air Force aircraft; Indian reporting separately said Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman fired an R-73 from a Bison before his aircraft was shot down.
The Bison upgrade tried to keep a compact Cold War interceptor useful by adding sensors, cueing, defensive aids, and a wider missile envelope.
| Upgrade area | Source-backed significance |
|---|---|
| Kopyo radar | TWZ describes the Russian-made Kopyo radar as the core change that let the Bison employ beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles. |
| Navigation and attack avionics | The upgrade package included an inertial navigation/attack system rather than only the older Fishbed cockpit fit. |
| Countermeasures and electronic warfare | The Bison package added countermeasures dispensers and electronic-warfare features, improving survivability and training value. |
| Helmet-cued short-range shots | Indian pilots could exploit helmet-mounted sights and high-off-boresight short-range missiles during close-range engagements. |
The Bison was not a clean-sheet fighter; it was India's late-life upgrade of the MiG-21bis, also described in Indian service as MiG-21 UPG or MiG-21UPG.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
 | Base Fishbed variant | The MiG-21bis formed the basis of India's Bison upgrade, which kept the single-seat Fishbed airframe while adding a modernized sensor, avionics, and weapons package. |
| MiG-21 Bison / MiG-21 UPG | Indian upgrade standard | The Bison upgrade centered on the Kopyo radar, inertial navigation/attack avionics, countermeasures, electronic-warfare features, and beyond-visual-range missile compatibility. |
The Bison upgrade gave India's MiG-21bis fleet a more modern air-to-air weapons fit; the catalog currently has a direct linked record for the short-range missile tied to the 2019 engagement.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Short-range infrared air-to-air missile | Indian reporting says Abhinandan Varthaman fired an R-73 from a MiG-21 Bison during the 27 February 2019 dogfight. Sources: IAF officer told Wg Cdr Abhinandan to turn back, but he couldn't hear her |
TWZ reports that India signed the MiG-21 Bison upgrade contract in 1996, using the MiG-21bis as the basis for the final Indian Fishbed standard.
Sources: India's Iconic MiG-21 Blasts Off Into Retirement
The modernized Bison aircraft were redelivered to the Indian Air Force between 2000 and 2005, adding a Kopyo radar and updated avionics to the MiG-21bis airframe.
Sources: India's Iconic MiG-21 Blasts Off Into Retirement
Indian official statements said MiG-21 Bison aircraft intercepted Pakistan Air Force aircraft during the 27 February 2019 engagement, and Indian reporting said an R-73 was fired from a Bison in the dogfight.
Sources: Statements by Indian Armed Forces on Prevailing Security Situation, IAF officer told Wg Cdr Abhinandan to turn back, but he couldn't hear her
Associated Press reported that India retired its last MiG-21 fleet on 26 September 2025 at Chandigarh, closing the aircraft's six-decade Indian service history.
Sources: India retires MiG-21 fighters after six decades
