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Dassault Mirage 2000
StableThe fleet remained operational in Vayushakti-26, while the May 2026 MICA MRO agreement strengthened long-term weapons sustainment.
On 6 May 2026, MBDA and the Indian Air Force signed an agreement to establish Indian maintenance, repair and mid-life-overhaul capability for MICA missiles, supporting the weapon ecosystem used by upgraded Mirage 2000I/TI fighters. Mirage 2000s also participated in Exercise Vayushakti-26 on 27 February 2026, when more than 130 IAF aircraft conducted day-and-night operations and precision strikes at Pokhran. India's delta-wing fleet has received new radar, electronic-warfare and mission-computer systems, but ageing airframes and spare-parts availability now dominate its sustainment requirements. The aircraft remains important as a proven precision-strike and air-defence asset while the IAF manages reduced squadron strength across the Pakistan and China fronts.
Updated 6 May 2026
Verified figures
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 47 ft length × 29.9 ft span ↗ |
| Combat weight | 21,000 lb ↗ |
| Maximum take-off weight | 38,500 lb ↗ |
| Powerplant and maximum thrust | 1 × SNECMA M53-P2 turbofan; 98 kN ↗ |
| Maximum speed | Mach 2.2+ ↗ |
| Operational ceiling | 60,000 ft ↗ |
| Combat radius | 830 nmi at Mach 0.8 and 15,000 ft with 6 MICA missiles ↗ |
| Loiter endurance | 2 hr 40 min at 150 nmi from base with 3 external tanks and 6 MICA missiles ↗ |
| Internal armament and stations | 2 × 30 mm guns and 9 external store stations ↗ |
| Upgrade avionics (Indian I/TI) | New radar, electronic-warfare suite and mission computer ↗ |
Spec sources: dassault-aviation.com ↗ · dassault-aviation.com ↗
Changelog
Program timeline
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MBDA signed an agreement with the Indian Air Force to establish an Indian-operated maintenance, repair and mid-life-overhaul facility for MICA missiles.
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A Defence Ministry official said India was considering extending the upgraded Mirage 2000 fleet’s service to 2038-2039 instead of retiring it around 2035, buffering squadron strength while replacements arrive.
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Mirage 2000s joined more than 130 aircraft in Exercise Vayushakti-26 at Pokhran, where the IAF conducted day-and-night operations and precision strikes with guided and long-range weapons.
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An IAF twin-seat Mirage 2000 crashed near Shivpuri following a reported system malfunction during a routine training sortie, and both pilots ejected safely.
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The IAF signed an approximately ₹300 crore contract to acquire phased-out French Mirage 2000 airframes as sources of spares for its operational fleet.
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Indian Mirage 2000s conducted the pre-dawn strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed camp at Balakot in Pakistan.
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The Indian authorities accepted the first two upgraded Mirage 2000I/TI aircraft at Dassault Aviation's Istres flight-test centre in France.
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