The missile's active radar seeker, with a homing range of 25 km (16 mi), was designed by Russia's Concern Morinformsystem-Agat but manufactured within India.

[11] The seeker can lock-on to a target with a radar cross section of 5 square metres from a distance of 15 km and enables off-boresight launches up to an angle of 45°.

[32] The initial version of Astra Mk-1 reportedly weighed 300 kg (660 lb) with a range of 25–40 km (16–25 mi) and was planned to be integrated with HAL Tejas.

[39] India's DRDO is undertaking work on a Mk-2 version of the Astra missile and has planned to enhance its range using an in-house developed dual-pulse rocket motor by May 2022.

[40][41] The missile will have a similar design as well as share the smokeless propulsion of its predecessor Mk-1, boast a laser proximity fuze and some newer technologies like a home-grown AESA radar seeker.

[44] A future Mk-3 variant based on a Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) engine is being jointly developed by India and Russia.

To fulfill the need of Indian Navy's replacement of Barak-1 short range surface-to-air missile system, DRDO successfully test fired two VL-SRSAM on 22 February 2021 at Odisha coast.

[49] VL-SRSAM supersedes the cancelled Maitri missile project undertaken jointly by MBDA and DRDO based on the work done on MICA and Trishul.

[51] Indian Air Force may also sport VL-SRSAM in truck-based launchers to supplement its Akash surface-to-air missile as a quick reaction system, similar to the Norwegian/American NASAM 2.

[60] During an annual press conference on October 4, 2022, IAF released footage of an Astra Mk-2 launched from a Su-30MKI using Unified Common Launcher developed by DRDO with industry partners for air-to-air missiles.

[62][63][64] Reports in September 2024 suggested that a series of developmental and user trials of the Astra Mk 2, with a range of 140-160 km, will be conducted in 2025 which will be completed by 2026 and followed by induction in the same year.

[65][66] As per Ministry of Defence's Year End Review, Astra Mk-3 with solid fuel ducted ramjet (SFDR) propulsion was flight tested in 2023 which enabled the missile to intercept aerial threats over a far greater distance at supersonic speed.

The missile was configured with nozzle-less booster, thrust modulation system and a sustainer engine to deliver specific impulse in ramjet mode.

[71] On 14 January 2024, Minister of State for Defence, Ajay Bhatt flagged off the first production batch of Astra for the Indian Air Force from Bharat Dynamics Limited's Kanchanbagh Unit in Hyderabad.

[72][73] On 4 August 2024, the missile was cleared full-rate production by the then Deputy COAS Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit on his visit to Hyderabad unit of BDL.