New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has initiated a major project to modify its MiG-29 and Jaguar fighter aircraft to equip them with new-generation advanced air-to-air missiles. This move is aimed at enhancing the air defence and strike capabilities of these ageing but critical platforms, allowing them to better tackle modern threats like low-radar-signature drones and high-speed aerial platforms. In separate requests for proposals (RFPs), the Ministry of Defence has invited the Indian industry to undertake these modifications at various IAF bases and repair depots across the country.
A primary focus of this upgrade is the integration of the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) onto 56 MiG-29 aircraft. The ASRAAM, a high-speed infrared-guided missile with a range of approximately 25 km, will replace the older Russian R-63 heat-seeking missiles. This modification will be executed at the IAF’s No. 11 Base Repair Depot in Nashik. Similarly, 74 Jaguar aircraft are slated to be modified to carry the next-generation close combat missile (NGCCM) and helmet-mounted display systems (HMDS). These modifications will take place at five IAF bases—Ambala, Jamnagar, Bhuj, Suratgarh, and Gorakhpur—as well as at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru.
The Jaguar’s missile configuration remains unique in the IAF, featuring over-the-wing pylons that allow the aircraft to carry defensive missiles while leaving under-wing hardpoints free for heavy air-to-surface ordnance. Both the MiG-29 and Jaguar fleets have seen decades of service, playing pivotal roles in the Kargil conflict, the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, and the 2025 Operation Sindoor. While these aircraft are expected to be retired by the end of the next decade, these weapon upgrades ensure they remain operationally potent against contemporary regional threats until their phased exit.
