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In a significant move aimed at enhancing India’s air combat superiority, Russia has reportedly offered the Indian Air Force (IAF) its R-37M long-range hypersonic air-to-air missile.
Known in NATO parlance as the AA-13 Axehead, the R-37M is one of the world’s most advanced beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles and is expected to give a major boost to India’s aerial deterrence, especially amid ongoing tensions with Pakistan and China.
Reports from sources including india.com and BulgarianMilitary.com, as well as posts circulating on X (formerly Twitter), indicate that the R-37M is being offered for integration with India’s Su-30MKI fighter jets.
Russia’s Vympel Design Bureau-developed missile boasts a striking range of 300 to 400 kilometres and achieves speeds of up to Mach 6, or approximately 7,400 km/h. This hypersonic speed and reach far exceed that of the IAF’s current R-77 missiles, which are limited to a range of about 100 km.
Weighing in at approximately 510 kilograms, the missile is equipped with a 60 kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead. Its multi-layered guidance system includes inertial navigation, mid-course updates, and a combination of active and semi-active radar homing for the terminal phase.
The missile features “fire-and-forget” capability, allowing it to independently engage its target after launch, which is a critical advantage during high-speed aerial engagements.
The R-37M is designed primarily to eliminate high-value aerial assets such as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control Systems), refuelling tankers, and enemy fighters.
Its jettisonable rocket booster extends its reach and allows for standoff attacks, keeping the launch platform out of enemy radar and missile engagement zones.
The missile is already operational on several Russian fighter platforms, including the Su-35, Su-57, MiG-31BM, and MiG-35. Russia is reportedly proposing its integration with the IAF’s fleet of 272 Su-30MKI aircraft, many of which are scheduled for modernisation.
The missile offer follows India’s lessons from the 2019 Balakot aerial skirmish, in which an IAF MiG-21 Bison was downed by a Pakistani F-16 equipped with a longer-range AIM-120C AMRAAM missile.
That engagement highlighted the IAF’s need for extended-range BVR capabilities. Posts on social media, including one from, stress that the R-37M could allow Indian fighters to target Pakistani F-16s from well beyond the Line of Control.
The missile is also seen as a potential counter to China’s increasingly sophisticated air fleet, including its J-10C jets.
In addition to the missile offer, Russia has reportedly proposed local production of the R-37M in India under the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. According to a post by Sputnik India, the missile could be manufactured at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facilities.
The potential agreement could also involve a two-seat variant of the Su-57MKI fifth-generation fighter jet, further enhancing India’s aerospace capabilities and reducing its reliance on foreign defence imports.
However, the integration of the R-37M into the Su-30MKI platform would necessitate upgrades to the aircraft’s radar and fire-control systems. The missile’s extended range may exceed the tracking limits of the current N011M Bars radar, making hardware improvements essential for optimal performance.
Operationally, the R-37M has seen deployment by Russian forces in Ukraine since 2019, primarily via the Su-30SM2, Su-35S, and MiG-31BM aircraft. One notable engagement reportedly involved a kill at a range of 213 km against a Ukrainian MiG-29 in 2024.
Although Ukrainian pilots suggest the missile has not resulted in many direct hits, its presence in combat has significantly disrupted enemy missions, often forcing aircraft to disengage and manoeuvre defensively.
The missile’s aerodynamic features, including folding tail fins and mid-body strakes, not only contribute to its extended range but also ensure compatibility with a range of platforms. A specialised variant, Izdeliye 810, has also been designed for internal carriage on Russia’s Su-57 fighter jet.
If finalised, the R-37M acquisition would mark a major step in the IAF’s efforts to regain air dominance and modernise its strike capabilities across long distances, reinforcing India’s preparedness amid complex regional threats.
