India tests long-range hypersonic missile for first time

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested a long-range hypersonic missile off the coast of Odisha on November 17.

The missile, launched from Abdul Kalam Island, marks India's entry into an exclusive group of nations possessing such advanced military technologies, Caliber.Az reports, citing Indian media.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the successful trial as a historic moment, emphasizing its strategic importance.

"India has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting flight trial of long range hypersonic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off-the-coast of Odisha. This is a historic moment and this significant achievement has put our country in the group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies," Singh said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The missile, developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is capable of carrying multiple payloads and has a range exceeding 1,500 km, making it a potent asset for India’s Armed Forces. The missile was created by the labs of the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad, in collaboration with various DRDO laboratories and industry partners.

Hypersonic missiles are defined as those that travel at speeds greater than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound, which equates to around a mile per second. In addition to speed, hypersonic missiles are known for their maneuverability, distinguishing them from ballistic missiles, which follow a fixed trajectory.

The two primary types of hypersonic weapons systems are Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV) and Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM). HGVs are launched by rockets and glide to their targets, while HCMs are powered by air-breathing engines called ‘scramjets’ that allow them to reach high speeds after acquiring their targets.

Lockheed Martin, a leading defense contractor, has referred to hypersonic systems as “game-changers” for national security, citing their ability to penetrate advanced defense systems due to their speed and agility.

By Khagan Isayev