It has been an exciting two years for India’s air-to-air missile program. After years of making do with obsolescent weaponry, the Air Force’s fighter squadrons are finally set to equip themselves with an arsenal of cutting-edge missiles. The Astra missile recently entered limited production; the European ASRAAM is on the verge of being adopted as the standard close-combat missile; a high-tech long-range missile is being acquired to arm the Rafale multi-role fighter; and another homegrown long-range missile has undergone two successful trials.
Here is why the developments on the horizon represent a generational leap in the capabilities of the Indian Air Force.
