The French Air and Space Force is studying the Indian Air Force’s experience during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan as it considers inducting a longer-range air-to-air missile for its Rafale fighter jets.French Air and Space Force Vice-Chief Lt Gen Dominique Tardif, who is on a visit to India, told a select group of journalists that France was examining options for equipping its Rafale fleet with a new missile. The IAF currently operates 36 Rafale fighters, while another 114 are expected to be procured from French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation under a proposed deal that includes a Make in India component.Lt Gen Tardif is in India for the second edition of the IAF’s multinational air combat exercise, Tarang Shakti, in Jodhpur. The French deployment includes Rafale fighter jets. The French contingent is participating as part of its air-power projection mission, Mission Pégase 2026, a 40-day deployment that includes visits to India, the US, Japan and South Korea, among other countries.France, he said, was studying India’s experience during Operation Sindoor, particularly because of the scale and complexity of the air operations involved.“I think we haven’t seen something like this since, perhaps, World War II,” Lt Gen Tardif said, referring to the number of aircraft operating in the same battlespace during the four-day operation in May last year.“For sure, it has something interesting for all different air forces,” he added.On the next upgrade in efficacy of the Rafale, Lt Gen Tardif said the development of long-range air-to-air missiles of other countries was being closely monitored. European missile maker MBDA has been asked to increase the range and performance of its air-to-air weapons to match Chinese and Russian systems, the PL-15 and R-37, respectively.“This is something we are closely following in France, and we are discussing it with MBDA, which is working to develop the missile we need in terms of range,” Lt Gen Tardif said.He was asked a specific question on air-to-air missiles since the Chinese-origin PL15 was used by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.The MBDA’s ‘Meteor’ air-to-air-missile, currently operated by the IAF and also the French air force, has a range of around 150 km. The Chinese, Russian and US missiles can hit ariel targets some 300 km away.“We have put very big pressure on MBDA in order to design and produce a longer range missile rapidly,” the Vice Chief of the French air force said.On the sixth generation of the jet, Lt Gen Tardif said India and France could discuss its future, describing it as a broader combat system rather than simply a new fighter aircraft.Last week, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, while speaking at a summit hosted by a media organisation, said, “The country was also working on 6th generation fighter jets.”