Why in news?

In a major boost to the domestic defence manufacturing capacity, the government has placed an order for a Rs 3,000-crore Astra MK1 missile designed and manufactured indigenously.

What is Astra MK1?

• Astra Mk1, a beyond visual range (BVR), air-to-air missile, has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Hyderabad-based Bharat Dynamics Limited.
• Range: Astra Mk1 has a range of over 100 km and 20 km altitude.

Present status:

• India imports similar missiles from Israel, Russia and some other manufacturers.
• The Air Force had conducted successful trials of the missile integrated on the Su 30 MK-I fighter aircraft
• The Navy will also integrate the missile on its MiG 29K fighter aircraft, part of its fleet for INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier.

• Astra Mk1 will also be integrated with other fighter aircraft in a phased manner, including Tejas.