Can India's homegrown Astra rival battle-tested AIM-120 AMRAAM?

India has built its own special missile called the Astra.

It is a weapon that fighter planes can fire at enemy planes that are far away, beyond what the pilot can see.

The Astra was made by Indian scientists at the DRDO, with help from many Indian companies.

It can fly very fast — up to Mach 4.5 — and can hit targets about 80 to 110 kilometers away.

The article compares it to a famous American missile called the AMRAAM, which has been used for over thirty years.

The AMRAAM has been used in real wars many times, so it is very trusted.

The Astra is newer and has been tested but has not yet been used in combat.

Building the Astra helps India make its own weapons instead of buying them from other countries.

India is already working on a newer version, the Astra Mk-2, that can fly even farther.

Both missiles do the same job: keeping pilots safe by hitting enemy planes from far away.