Platform profile · India · Beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile · Indian Air Force; Indian Navy
Operational Mk-I production and integration continue, while Indonesia supply was announced on 7 July 2026 and enhanced-range Mk-II procurement has received Acceptance of Necessity; on 25 August 2026 the Defence Ministry approved transfer of DRDO technology for all conventional missile systems, including the Astra family, to Indian industry, though no licensees, terms or timeline have been named.
On 7 July 2026, an Indian government official said India would supply Astra air-to-air missiles to Indonesia, giving the indigenous programme a major export opening in Southeast Asia. On 29 December 2025, the Defence Acquisition Council approved Acceptance of Necessity for enhanced-range Astra Mk-II missiles, following two successful indigenous-seeker launches from a Su-30MKI on 11 July 2025 and a direct-hit LCA AF Mk1 trial on 12 March 2025. Astra is India's indigenous beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile family; the specifications below describe the operational Mk-I, while Mk-II is the longer-range follow-on. For India, the family reduces reliance on imported air-combat weapons and is central to arming Su-30MKI and Tejas fighters against increasingly long-range regional threats.
Updated 10 days ago Updated 25 Aug 2026
Verified figures
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Range | 80-110 km ↗ |
| Maximum engagement altitude | Up to 20 km ↗ |
| Length | 3,840 mm ↗ |
| Diameter | 178 mm ↗ |
| Flight duration | 100-120 s ↗ |
| Maximum speed | Mach 4.5 ↗ |
| Propulsion | Solid rocket motor ↗ |
| Warhead | High-explosive pre-fragmented warhead ↗ |
| Guidance and seeker | Inertial guidance with mid-course update and terminal active radar homing; 13 km terminal homing range ↗ |
| Qualified launch platform | Su-30MKI fighter aircraft ↗ |
Spec sources: bdl-india.in ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗
Changelog
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the transfer of DRDO-developed technology for all conventional missile systems, including the Astra family, to Indian defence industry for domestic production, replacing the case-by-case model under which Astra had been licensed to Bharat Dynamics Limited.
An Indian government official said India will supply the Astra air-to-air missile to Indonesia during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country.
The Defence Acquisition Council accorded Acceptance of Necessity for enhanced-range Astra Mk-II missiles as part of tri-service proposals worth about ₹79,000 crore.
DRDO and the Indian Air Force conducted two Astra launches from a Su-30MKI off Odisha against high-speed unmanned aerial targets, with both missiles destroying their targets and validating the indigenous RF seeker.
The Aeronautical Development Agency test-launched Astra from an LCA AF Mk1 prototype off Chandipur, achieving a direct hit on a flying target and meeting all mission objectives.
Raksha Rajya Mantri Ajay Bhatt flagged off indigenously manufactured Astra missiles at Bharat Dynamics Limited's Kanchanbagh unit for supply to the Indian Air Force.
LCA Tejas LSP-7 fired Astra off Goa at an altitude of about 20,000 ft, and the test met all stated objectives.
The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹2,971 crore contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited for Astra Mk-I missiles and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.
2 tagged stories
A single approval on 25 August opens DRDO's entire conventional missile portfolio to Indian industry, from public-sector builders to private primes and MSMEs. Which systems, which firms and on what terms remain unanswered.
Signed during PM Modi's 7 July visit, the package makes Indonesia the second BrahMos export customer and the first foreign buyer of the DRDO-developed Astra Mk-1 — with unofficial estimates putting the deal near $630 million.
