February 18, 2010:  India plans to replace its Magic heat-seeking air-to-air missiles with the Asraam missile. Magic is a French developed, 89 kg (196 pound) missile with a max range of 11 kilometers. It was introduced in 1975, and underwent a major upgrade in the late 1980s. But Magic is considered past its prime.

Asraam entered service in 2002, mainly developed by Britain. It is an 88 kg (194 pound) missile with a range of 18 kilometers and a high capability heat seeker sensor system. The Asraam would replace Magic missiles now carried by a hundred Jaguar and fifty Mirage 2000 jet fighters.

To get the deal, Asraam manufacturer MBDA agreed to jointly develop, with India, a new generation air-to-air heat seeking missile.