European missile manufacturer MBDA signed
an agreement with the Indian Air Force
¨
European missile
manufacturer MBDA signed an agreement with the Indian Air Force on 6 May 2026.
¨
The agreement aims to
establish domestic Maintenance, Repair, and Mid-Life Overhaul (MRO) capability
for the MICA air-to-air missile system in India.
¨
The MRO facility will be
set up, operated, and maintained by the Indian Air Force.
¨
MBDA will provide
industrial machinery, tooling, technical data packages, training, and
specialist support.
¨
MICA is a French-origin
air-to-air missile system.
¨
It is designed for both
beyond-visual-range (BVR) and short-range combat engagements.
¨
The Indian Air Force uses
MICA missiles on Dassault Rafale fighter jets and upgraded Dassault Mirage 2000
aircraft.
¨
The missile entered
Indian Air Force service in 2016 after the Mirage 2000 upgrade programme.
¨
Maintenance, Repair, and
Mid-Life Overhaul (MRO) refers to servicing activities that extend the
operational life of defence equipment.
¨
In missile systems, MRO
facilities conduct inspection, repair, testing, refurbishment, and component
replacement.
¨
The initiative supports
India’s defence self-reliance and domestic capability development.
¨ Atmanirbhar Bharat was launched in 2020 by Narendra Modi.
¨ In the defence sector, Atmanirbhar Bharat focuses on domestic production, maintenance, overhaul, and technology absorption for military systems and weapons.
