New Delhi: India is preparing to sign one of its most consequential air-combat upgrade agreements in recent years, as New Delhi and Moscow near the final lap of a deal for around 300 R-37M very-long-range air-to-air missiles. Senior officials involved in the discussions describe the negotiations as almost complete, and they expect the first deliveries to reach the Indian Air Force (IAF) within the next 12 to 18 months.

The decision is influenced by what unfolded during ‘Operation Sindoor’ in May 2025, when the IAF realised that its Su-30MKI fighters required a weapon with far greater reach than the systems commonly used across South Asian airspace.

Pilots who took part in the operation said that their Flankers often found themselves in a difficult position when facing Pakistan Air Force

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