India’s indigenously developed Naval Anti-Ship Missile – Medium Range (NASM-MR) has been successfully integrated on the MiG-29K carrier-borne fighter, marking a key milestone ahead of developmental flight trials that will validate the weapon’s operational capability from a carrier-borne platform.
Program imagery and internal updates confirm completion of electrical and mechanical interface checks between the missile and the MiG-29K, paving the way for a phased test campaign. Initial trials will include captive-carry and separation tests, followed by live-fire evaluations to validate seeker performance, target acquisition and terminal homing under realistic flight conditions.
The NASM-MR is a subsonic, sea-skimming anti-ship missile with an estimated range in the order of ~300 kilometres, designed to provide a lightweight, standoff strike option for naval combat aircraft. It fills an intermediate role between the shorter-range NASM-SR (around 55 km) and heavier, long-range systems such as the BrahMos, enabling multiple-carriage loadouts and greater sortie flexibility for carrier air wings.
Operational advantages of the NASM-MR include:
- Sea-skimming flight profile to reduce radar detection and improve penetration of ship-borne air defences.
- Lightweight, multi-carriage suitability allowing fighters to carry more weapons per sortie and enabling saturation or coordinated strikes.
- Intermediate range capability that extends a carrier fighter’s strike envelope without the logistical and aerodynamic penalties of heavier missiles.
The upcoming trials will focus on safe carriage and separation dynamics, seeker and guidance validation, and end-to-end mission performance. Successful qualification on the MiG-29K is expected to clear the missile for operational deployment across the fleet and later adaptation to other naval fighters, including integration under a common maritime strike architecture for future Rafale M carriage.
Strategically, NASM-MR advances the Indian Navy’s anti-ship warfare modernisation by broadening its indigenous missile inventory and reducing dependence on foreign systems. When fielded alongside NASM-SR and longer-range air-launched weapons, the NASM-MR will contribute to a layered, flexible maritime strike capability across India’s carrier aviation and maritime patrol forces.
