France's Rafale tests new MICA NG air-to-air missile amid India's proposed 114-Jet deal

France has successfully tested the next-generation MICA NG air-to-air missile from a Rafale fighter jet.The test, conducted on Friday at the French defence procurement agency's missile testing centre in the Mediterranean, marked a significant step in the development of a weapon designed to tackle emerging aerial threats, including stealth aircraft, drones and cruise missiles.Built for future air combatMissile maker MBDA said the MICA NG has been developed to deal with increasingly advanced threats on the battlefield, ANI reported."The MICA NG is equipped with advanced technologies that enable it to address high-performance future threats that will be faster and more stealthy," the company said.According to MBDA, the missile can engage conventional aerial targets such as fighter aircraft and helicopters, while also targeting drones, stealth fighters and highly manoeuvrable cruise missiles that have very low radar and infrared signatures.India plans to expand fleet to 176The latest trial was carried out by teams from MBDA, the French defence procurement agency (DGA), Dassault Aviation and the French Air and Space Force.The development comes as India moves ahead with plans to significantly expand its Rafale fleet.New Delhi has recently sent a Letter of Request to France for the procurement of 114 additional Rafale fighter jets in a government-to-government deal estimated at around Rs 3.25 lakh crore.As per the available information on ANI, under the proposal, 94 of the 114 aircraft would be manufactured in India by Dassault Aviation in partnership with an Indian company.Both countries are expecting to conclude negotiations and finalise the deal within a year.If approved, India's total Rafale orders could rise to 176 aircraft, including the order of 62 Rafale aircraft already placed by the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.