India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is making decisive progress with the Astra Mk3, officially known as 'Gandiva,' the Indian Air Force’s forthcoming flagship beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM).

Drawing its name from the legendary bow in the Mahabharata, Gandiva promises to set a new benchmark in indigenous air dominance through a combination of advanced propulsion and seeker technologies.

At the core of the Astra MK-3's technological leap is its Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) engine, a marked departure from the conventional rocket motors used in previous Astra variants. The SFDR system, by relying on atmospheric oxygen for combustion, enables a lighter and more efficient missile capable of prolonged supersonic flight, with speeds reaching up to Mach 4.5 and an engagement range extending beyond 300 kilometers—a capability that positions Gandiva among the longest-range air-to-air missiles globally.

The SFDR’s throttleability also exponentially enlarges the missile’s "no-escape zone," maximizing lethality against manoeuvring targets.

Guidance and target acquisition are poised for a significant upgrade. Initially, Gandiva uses an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) seeker based on Gallium Arsenide (GaS) technology, which already assures precise tracking and robust data-link coordination with airborne command assets. 

However, the DRDO is actively developing a next-generation Gallium Nitride (GaN)-based AESA seeker for the production model—a move driven by the superior power efficiency, heat tolerance, and electronic jamming resistance of GaN components. GaN technology, now being indigenously mastered in India as part of the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, will give Gandiva greater reliability against advanced electronic warfare threats and increase its effectiveness in detecting and tracking stealth adversaries.

The missile’s integration and validation are progressing through a structured trial regime:

Recent ground tests of the SFDR propulsion have validated its core performance parameters.

Captive carriage trials are underway, with Gandiva mounted on platforms such as the Sukhoi Su-30MKI, focusing on seamless integration with aircraft systems and avionics.

Forthcoming live-fire and extreme envelope trials will push the missile to its performance limits, testing its ability to engage and neutralize targets at maximum operational speeds and distances, including evasive and high-value assets like stealth aircraft and AWACS.

Deployment plans for Gandiva envision it as a primary weapon for multiple IAF combat aircraft, including the Su-30MKI and HAL Tejas, with potential adaptation for the Rafale and MiG-29, thereby ensuring broad operational integration.

Strategically, Gandiva is intended to outmatch regional threats—most notably China’s J-20 stealth fighters and the long-range PL-15 missile—and to grant the IAF a decisive technological edge in future aerial confrontations.

Challenges remain, particularly in miniaturising the Ramjet for the missile’s compact form factor, but DRDO is targeting full-scale production by 2030–2031. If successful, the Gandiva program will herald a new era in India’s indigenous missile technology, reinforcing both national security and technological self-reliance.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)