The much-delayed maintenance, repair and overhaul facility jointly established by Air India and Boeing in India will be operational by mid-2014, the U.S. aircraft maker says. “The handover of the facility will be done by the end of this quarter or the next,” says Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president-sales, Asia Pacific and India, Boeing Commercial Aircraft.

NEW DELHI — India has unveiled its newly developed Pragati surface-to-surface missile, which features a range of 60-170 km. The missile, developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), is being displayed at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition ADEX-2013. “It is a proud moment for all of us in DRDO and for all our industry partners,” says Avinash Chander, DRDO chief and scientific adviser to the defense minister.

IAF CHIEF: Air Marshal Arup Raha will be the next chief of the Indian air force (IAF), succeeding Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne. Browne will retire Dec. 31 after a 41-year career. The new air chief has had the distinction of heading the IAF’s spearhead force, Western Air Command, and also Central Air Command. Raha was commissioned into the IAF on Dec. 14, 1974 as a combat pilot, flying MiG-21 and MiG-29 aircraft. During a career spanning nearly 39 years, Raha has held various command, staff and instructional appointments.