DRDO validates ICBM interception capability, tests new anti-ship missile

DRDO successfully flight-tested two next-generation ballistic missile defence interceptors and a medium-range naval anti-ship missile, strengthening India's strategic deterrence capabilities

In a major leap in the strategic missile programme, India has successfully conducted three consecutive flight tests of its most advanced interceptors and anti-ship missile from a defence facility off the eastern coast, demonstrating the country's ability to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, including threats in the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) class, and strike hostile warships at medium range.

 

The tests conducted over the last two days mark one of the most significant milestones in India's strategic weapons programme in recent years and come amid a rapidly evolving security environment marked by growing missile arsenals in the neighbourhood, deployment of hypersonic weapons globally and intensifying military competition across the Indo-Pacific region.

 

 

According to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired two next-generation interceptor missiles and conducted the first flight trial of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Medium Range (NASM-MR) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) off the Odisha coast.

 

The twin tests of interceptors (AD-1 and AD-2) demonstrated a multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) capability in which the interceptors engaged and destroyed their designated targets, which sources said were Agni-series missiles mimicking hostile targets. The NASM-MR, designed to provide the Indian Navy with a new indigenous anti-ship strike option, also met mission requirements.

 

"The interceptors successfully engaged their respective targets. The systems are designed and developed with the latest technologies to address emerging missile threats," the MoD said in a statement.

 

Sources said all four missiles (interceptors and targets) were tracked by radars and all guidance and launch computers operated in full operational mode for handling multiple targets with multiple interceptors. The missiles were in the sky simultaneously and both interceptions took place as expected.

 

"These tests have put India in the elite group of nations having BMD capabilities to engage ballistic missiles up to ICBM class," the MoD said.

 

Rajesh Kumar Singh, secretary, Department of Defence R&D and in-charge chairman of DRDO, monitored the trials and commended the combined efforts of DRDO laboratories, the armed forces and industry partners.

 

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the achievement, stating that the systems have been designed and developed with the latest technologies to address emerging missile threats.

 

"These tests have successfully demonstrated multiple crucial technologies bolstering nation's defence capabilities against different types of enemy threats," he posted on social media platform X.

 

Building India's Gen-next missile shield

 

Defence experts viewed the successful interceptor trials as a validation of India's Phase-II BMD programme, which is intended to defeat more advanced ballistic missile threats than the currently operational shield protecting key strategic locations.

 

India's BMD architecture relies on a layered interception concept. Long-range radars detect incoming missiles and command-and-control systems calculate trajectories while multiple interceptor missiles engage the target at different stages of flight.

 

The latest tests involved advanced interceptor systems developed under Phase-II of the BMD programme, including the AD-series interceptors. These systems have been designed to engage and neutralise advanced, high-speed threats such as intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) and ICBMs capable of travelling up to the 5,000-km class.

 

The AD-1 endo-atmospheric interceptor has been designed to intercept targets within the Earth's atmosphere during the terminal phase of their flight. Propelled by a two-stage solid motor, it utilises advanced navigation and guidance algorithms to track and destroy fast-moving missiles as well as slower-moving aircraft.

 

Similarly, the AD-2 interceptor has been designed to intercept incoming missiles at much higher altitudes, beyond the Earth's atmosphere during their mid-course flight phase. This allows early interception in space, destroying threats before they can re-enter and target specific regions.

 

Both missiles are highly manoeuvrable and capable of hypersonic speeds ranging from Mach 6 to Mach 7, enabling them to intercept fast-moving ballistic targets.

 

"India has taken a major stride towards building a comprehensive multi-layered missile shield and strengthening its maritime strike capabilities. Only a handful of countries, including the United States, Russia, China and Israel, have developed operational BMD shields capable of intercepting advanced ballistic missile threats through layered defence systems," said a defence analyst.

 

For India, he said, the success of the advanced BMD system is particularly important because both China and Pakistan continue to expand and modernise their missile inventories.

 

"China possesses one of the world's largest and most sophisticated ballistic missile arsenals, including intercontinental systems. Pakistan has also steadily improved its missile capabilities and is pursuing longer-range systems," he added.

 

NASM-MR strengthens maritime strike capability

 

Alongside the missile defence tests, DRDO also successfully conducted the maiden flight test of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Medium Range (NASM-MR), a weapon expected to strengthen India's maritime warfare capabilities.

 

Sources said the missile demonstrated precision navigation, low-altitude sea-skimming flight and terminal engagement capability against maritime targets. Sea-skimming profiles make anti-ship missiles difficult to detect and intercept because they remain close to the sea surface until the final stages of attack.

 

The NASM-MR programme is part of India's indigenous anti-ship missile family. It follows recent successful demonstrations of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR), which was tested from naval helicopter platforms earlier this year.

 

The medium-range variant is expected to provide significantly greater stand-off strike capability for surface combatants and potentially other naval platforms.

 

This all-weather, over-the-horizon anti-ship missile has a strike range of up to 350 km. It is being developed by DRDO for the Indian Navy for use against small- to medium-sized targets such as frigates, corvettes and destroyers. It will have different versions, including ship-launched, air-launched and submarine-launched variants.

 

Defence experts said the development assumes added importance as India seeks to enhance maritime deterrence in the Indian Ocean region. China's expanding naval footprint, including increased deployments in the Indian Ocean, has heightened the importance of indigenous anti-ship capabilities and sea-denial weapons for the Indian Navy, they said.

 

A month of strategic missile breakthroughs

 

The latest successes come barely a month after India validated three other strategic technologies that showcased the breadth of DRDO's missile development efforts.

 

These included an advanced Agni missile equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) capability, allowing a single missile to carry multiple warheads against different targets, and the maiden trial of the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) glide weapon system.

 

Defence scientists also successfully tested a scramjet combustor that is expected to play a crucial role in future hypersonic missile programmes.

 

While MIRV-equipped Agni missiles enhance India's nuclear deterrent, the BMD system aims to protect strategic assets and population centres from hostile missile attacks. The hypersonic and glide weapon programmes will ensure that India remains competitive in next-generation warfare technologies being pursued by major military powers.

 

These milestones within a month signal India's growing mastery of next-generation strategic technologies spanning nuclear deterrence, hypersonic propulsion, anti-ballistic systems and precision stand-off strike capabilities.

 

The validation of MIRV technology and advanced BMD systems has added a new dimension to the country's strategic deterrence capability at a time when Asia is witnessing one of its most volatile security environments in decades.

 

Prior to the tests of the BMD system and NASM-MR, more than 11,000 people from 10 villages within a 3.5-km radius of Launch Complex-III of the ITR were shifted to cyclone shelters and temporary camps for two days. They were compensated as per MoD guidelines.

 

Fishermen in Balasore and Bhadrak districts were also alerted not to venture into the sea, while police personnel in motorboats were deployed to patrol along the coast round the clock.