The Indian Air Force (IAF) is actively pursuing the integration of the indigenous Astra Mk2 beyond-visual- range air-to-air missile, with its 160-180 km range, onto its Mirage-2000 fighter jets to replace the current 80 km-ranged French MICA missiles. In the past three days, official sources have highlighted that the project has encountered significant delays due to Dassault Aviation’s reluctance to share the Mirage-2000’s radar source code, which is crucial for seamless missile integration. With the Mirage-2000 fleet slated to remain operational until at least 2035, the IAF considers this upgrade vital for maintaining an edge over regional adversaries. Ongoing high-level negotiations in New Delhi aim to resolve both technical and financial barriers to reinforce India’s long-range aerial combat capability
