IAF To Acquire More Meteor Air-To-Air Missiles To Boost Beyond Visual Range Capability

Last Updated:October 31, 2025, 10:30 IST

Indian Air Force plans major Meteor missile purchase after Operation Sindoor to bolster BVR capabilities.

Indian Air Force plans major Meteor missile purchase after Operation Sindoor to bolster BVR capabilities. (PTI file photo)

New Delhi: After the resounding success of Operation Sindoor this May, the Indian Air Force is planning to procure a significant number of the European-made Meteor air-to-air missiles, aiming to significantly enhance the Indian Air Force’s beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat capabilities. 

The Meteor missile, equipped with a ramjet propulsion system, offers high speed, long range, and a pronounced “first-shot, first-kill" edge at extended distances of over 200km, making it a key asset for air superiority missions. IAF has already deployed the missile with its fleet of 36 Dassault Rafale jets bought in 2016, and will also integrate it into the 26 Rafale Marine fighters being acquired for the Navy. 

During Operation Sindoor, Indian aircraft used long-range stand-off weapons to strike Pakistani military and terror targets, after which the Pakistan Air Force launched multiple Chinese-origin PL-15 air-to-air missiles at Indian jets, but they achieved no success.

Parallel to the Meteor acquisition, India is accelerating its indigenous air-to-air missile programme, led by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The Astra Mark-II, with a planned range of over 200 km, is being developed for integration with frontline fighters such as the Sukhoi Su-30MKI and the HAL Tejas. The Air Force is expected to procure around 700 Astra missiles in the coming years.

Besides the Meteor Missiles, the Rafales are set to be integrated with the indigenous Rudram series of air-launched anti-radiation missiles (ARM), improving their standoff strike capabilities against enemy radar systems.

India is not only reinforcing its current weapons inventory via foreign procurement but also rapidly advancing domestic missile development to reduce reliance on external sources.

News india IAF To Acquire More Meteor Air-To-Air Missiles To Boost Beyond Visual Range Capability

Read More