Govt inks ₹2,971-cr deal for Astra Mk-I missiles

NEW DELHI: In a step forward for self-reliance in defence manufacturing, the defence ministry on Tuesday signed a ₹2,971-crore contract with Bharat Dynamics to equip the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy with Astra Mk-I beyond visual range air-to-air missiles and associated equipment, according to an official statement.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has transferred technology to state-owned Bharat Dynamics to produce these missiles and associated systems.

The missile has been fully integrated with Sukhoi-30 fighter jets and will add to the capabilities of other fighter jets, including the Tejas light combat aircraft and the navy’s MiG-29K fighters, which operate from India’s sole aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, officials familiar with the matter said.

The Astra misile will be integrated with other fighter jets in a phased manner. DRDO is working on developing advanced variants of the Astra missile, which has a range of around 100 km. Astra Mk-2, which is under development, is expected to have a range of 160 km.

“Till now, the technology to manufacture missiles of this class indigenously was not available. Astra has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDO based on the staff requirements issued by IAF, catering for beyond visual range as well as close combat engagement and reducing the dependency on foreign sources,” the ministry statement said.

The deal is a big leap towards achieving self-reliance in making missiles, said Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd), director general, Centre for Airpower Studies. “We have been dependent on Russian and Israeli missile systems for long,” he said. “The local production of the Astra missile fills a critical gap in indigenous capabilities.”