MBDA has signed an agreement with the Indian Air Force to develop a local Maintenance, Repair and Mid-Life Overhaul (MRO) capability for MICA air-to-air missiles, deepening India’s ability to sustain one of the main weapons carried by its Rafale fighter fleet.
The facility will be set up, operated, and maintained by the Indian Air Force, with MBDA providing the industrial machinery, tools, data packages, training, and technical support required to establish the capability in India.
According to MBDA, the project is intended to support long-term sustainment of India’s MICA missile inventory, improve turnaround times, and allow the Indian Armed Forces to maintain the missiles throughout their operational life.
Supporting India’s defense self-reliance push
The agreement forms part of India’s wider effort to expand domestic defense sustainment capabilities under Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India), the campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020.
For the Indian Air Force, local MRO capacity could reduce reliance on overseas support for a key air combat weapon and help preserve missile availability during the service life of its fleet.
The move also comes as India continues to build a larger Rafale ecosystem, with New Delhi signing for 26 Rafale Marine fighters for the Indian Navy, and seeking to move forward with a 114-aircraft Rafale acquisition, two deals that further increase the importance of local maintenance, spares, and weapons support. India ordered 36 Rafale aircraft from France in 2016, with the first jets arriving in Ambala in 2020.
MBDA said the MRO facility would “secure technical expertise for years to come” and contribute to India’s strategic autonomy.
MICA in Indian Air Force service
The MICA, developed by MBDA, is a short- to medium-range air-to-air missile used on the Rafale and Mirage 2000-5. It was designed to cover both beyond-visual-range engagements and shorter-range air combat, reducing the need for separate missile types for each role. The missile is available with either an active radar seeker, known as MICA RF or MICA EM, or an imaging infrared seeker, known as MICA IR.
The Rafale package delivered to India includes a suite of MBDA weapons, including the MICA, the Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, and the SCALP cruise missile.
The missile’s sustainment has become a more visible issue as recent operations have underlined how quickly air-to-air missile stocks can be consumed. In March 2026, French Rafale fighters deployed in the Gulf had reportedly used MICA missiles while intercepting Iranian drones over the United Arab Emirates, highlighting the operational and stockpile pressures associated with sustained air defense missions. MICA has also recently drawn renewed attention after Ukrainian Mirage 2000-5F fighters were observed carrying the missile.
