India has finally signed a contract worth $7.41 billion for the delivery of 26 Rafale M carrier-based aircraft to be based on the INS Vikrant. Thus, India will become the second country after France to operate the carrier-based variant of the Rafale aircrafth.
However, this order should not necessarily be seen as India's intention to abandon the problematic Russian-made MiG-29K carrier-based fighters, as these jets are now being integrated with the latest NASM-MR anti-ship missile. This is stated in the Naval News publication.
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According to the publication, the MiG-29K, which has been modernized for new types of aircraft weapons, was first presented during the Aero India 2025 exhibition in February this year.
It has been demonstrated that the combat payload of these aircraft can include not only the NASM-MR but also Indian-made air-to-air missiles such as the Astra Mk-I and Mk-II. It is also expected that the MiG-29K will be able to integrate the Indian-designed Uttam AESA radar, which was first shown in 2019.
As for India's NASM-MR, it is more accurate to say that "integration is underway," since test launches of this missile, which was first announced in 2023, have not yet been conducted. In addition to the MiG-29K, there is also information about India's intention to integrate the NASM-MR into the armament of the Rafale M and Indian-made P-8I Poseidon patrol aircraft.
Regarding the NASM-MR, it is stated that the launch weight is 600 kilograms, with a 150-kilogram warhead. The flight range is 100-350 kilometers, and the flight speed is Mach 0.9. In addition to the air-launched version, NASM-MR variants are also planned for launch from surface ships, submarines, and shore-based systems, although the timeframe for their implementation remains unknown.
On behalf of Defense Express, it should be emphasized that the Indian defense industry will be able to integrate its latest anti-ship missile and radar into the MiG-29K only with russian cooperation. This is part of a strategy in which India shows interest in acquiring Western weapons while continuing its cooperation with russia.
Earlier Defense Express reported that India-made component had been discovered in russian weapons attacking Ukraine.
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