October 31, 2025

India is taking a giant leap in aerial warfare by planning to buy a big batch of Meteor air-to-air missiles for its Indian Air Force (IAF). These powerful missiles will be used by the IAF’s frontline Rafale fighter jets, adding a stunning new punch to their combat skills. Only the Rafale jets in India can fire these European-made Meteor missiles, which have a smashing range of up to 200 kilometres! Defence insiders say the Rs 1,500 crore deal is almost ready to get the green light in a top Defence Ministry meeting very soon. Back in 2016, when India got its first batch of 36 Rafales from France, the Meteor missiles came along as part of the package. Plus, 26 naval Rafales expected to arrive soon will also carry these deadly missiles. Remember the fierce Operation Sindoor this May? Indian jets wiped out Pakistani military and terrorist spots, forcing Pakistan to beg for a ceasefire in just four days! Indian aircraft used long-range standoff weapons, while Pakistan’s Air Force fired many Chinese-made PL-15 missiles which, guess what, failed to hit their targets. As per Defence sources, Pakistan has been stocking up on Chinese missiles recently, but India is not far behind. India is now pushing a major plan to equip all its fighter fleets with better beyond-visual-range (BVR) weapons. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is creating the homegrown Astra Mark 2 missile, boasting a whopping striking distance of over 200 km. These will arm the Su-30 and LCA jets. Meanwhile, Rafale jets will keep wielding the Meteor missiles and might get new indigenous anti-radiation missiles later on. This missile upgrade will surely turbocharge India’s sky warriors, turning the Indian Air Force into one of the most formidable in the world!

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Tags: India air force, Meteor Missile, Rafale Fighter Jet, Air-to-air missile, Drdo, Astra Mark 2,