European missile systems manufacturer MBDA has signed an agreement with the Indian Air Force to establish a dedicated indigenous capability for the Maintenance, Repair and Mid-Life Overhaul (MRO) of MICA missiles in India, marking another significant milestone in the country’s growing defence self-reliance journey under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The new MRO facility will be established, operated and maintained by the Indian Air Force, while MBDA will provide the specialised industrial machinery, tooling, technical data packages, training and ongoing technical assistance required to support the programme. The collaboration is expected to substantially strengthen India’s domestic defence sustainment infrastructure while enhancing long-term operational readiness for the Indian Armed Forces.
The initiative reflects India’s increasing focus on developing localised sustainment and lifecycle support capabilities for advanced defence systems rather than depending heavily on overseas maintenance networks.
By creating an in-country MRO ecosystem for MICA missiles, the programme is expected to improve turnaround times, streamline maintenance operations and ensure greater availability of critical missile assets throughout their operational lifespan. The facility will also help build specialised technical expertise within India, supporting the long-term development of indigenous defence maintenance competencies.
The agreement aligns closely with the core objectives of the Atmanirbhar Bharat campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020, which aims to reduce import dependency while expanding domestic industrial and technological capabilities across strategic sectors, including aerospace and defence.
The establishment of a local MRO capability for MICA missiles is expected to significantly improve the operational capability and readiness levels of the Indian Air Force by ensuring faster maintenance cycles and more efficient lifecycle management.
As modern air combat increasingly depends on high-availability weapon systems and rapid sustainment support, the localisation of missile overhaul and servicing capability becomes strategically important for maintaining fleet preparedness during both peacetime and operational deployments.
The MRO infrastructure will be capable of supporting MICA missiles throughout their complete service life, helping ensure sustained performance and reliability of the weapon system within the IAF inventory.
India and MBDA share a long-standing defence partnership that dates back several decades, particularly in the field of air-to-air missile systems. Over the years, the Indian Air Force has operated a range of MBDA missile technologies across multiple aircraft platforms, relying on the company’s advanced weapon systems to strengthen air combat capabilities.
Today, MBDA continues to position itself not only as a supplier of advanced missile technologies to the Indian Armed Forces but also as a strategic industrial partner supporting India’s defence manufacturing and sustainment ambitions.
The company stated that its approach in India is centred around two key priorities: delivering advanced missile technologies to the Indian Armed Forces while simultaneously contributing to India’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives through long-term industrial collaboration and technology support.
The agreement also underlines the increasing importance of sovereign sustainment capability in modern defence operations. By enabling domestic maintenance and overhaul of sophisticated missile systems, India can reduce dependence on foreign support chains and strengthen strategic autonomy in defence preparedness.
With over five decades of engagement with the Indian Air Force, MBDA emphasised its commitment to supporting India’s operational requirements while contributing to the development of local industrial and technological ecosystems.
The latest MICA missile MRO initiative represents another step in India’s broader effort to build a resilient and self-sufficient aerospace and defence maintenance infrastructure capable of supporting increasingly advanced military platforms and weapon systems domestically.
