New Delhi: India is advancing its defense capabilities with the development of a new naval hypersonic glide missile, engineered to deliver high-speed, unpredictable strikes against enemy targets. The missile, being developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), will be compatible with the vertical launch system currently used for the BrahMos missile, allowing seamless integration with India’s naval platforms.
Unlike conventional missiles, this hypersonic weapon can execute sudden and unexpected trajectory changes, making it extremely difficult for enemy defense systems to detect or intercept. Leveraging indigenously developed avionics and sensor packages, the missile is capable of targeting both moving warships and stationary installations, bypassing air defense systems with its supersonic velocity. Hypersonic technology allows the missile to strike rapidly, giving the adversary minimal time to respond.
India had previously developed a long-range hypersonic missile with a strike capability of up to 1,500 kilometers, designed to destroy high-value targets such as aircraft carriers. However, this missile, weighing approximately 12 tons, could only be launched from land platforms due to its size, limiting its deployment flexibility. The new development addresses this limitation by creating a lighter missile, weighing around three tons, suitable for deployment from naval warships without requiring modifications to existing launch systems.
This design ensures that India can rapidly integrate hypersonic capabilities into its naval fleet while reducing costs and logistical constraints. The DRDO has emphasized that the missile will retain the versatility of BrahMos launchers, allowing for quick operational deployment once testing is complete.
For security reasons, details regarding testing schedules and operational specifications are being kept classified. Nevertheless, DRDO officials indicate that research is progressing at an advanced pace, and the missile is expected to join the Indian armed forces in the coming years.
With this project, India joins a select group of nations that possess operational hypersonic missile technology, including the United States, Russia, and China, enhancing the country’s strategic deterrence and reinforcing its position as a regional military power.
This development marks a significant leap in India’s naval strike capability, combining speed, unpredictability, and indigenous technological expertise to counter evolving threats in the maritime domain.