NEW DELHI (ANN/THE DAILY STAR) – India reached a significant milestone in defense technology with the successful flight trial of its domestically developed long-range hypersonic missile on November 16, 2024.
The test was conducted from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, located off the coast of Odisha, according to an announcement from the Indian Ministry of Defence.
“The @DRDO_India has successfully conducted a flight trial of its long-range hypersonic missile on 16th Nov 2024 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha,” the ministry posted on its official X account (formerly Twitter).
The missile’s performance was monitored using a variety of tracking systems across different domains. Data from down-range ship stations confirmed successful terminal maneuvers and high-impact accuracy.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the event as “historic,” underscoring that it positions India among the few nations capable of developing advanced hypersonic missile technology.
“India has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting a flight trial of a long-range hypersonic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha. This is a historic moment and a significant achievement, placing our country among the select nations with such advanced military technologies. I congratulate Team DRDO, our armed forces, and the industry for this stupendous achievement,” Singh wrote on X.
The missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), is capable of carrying various payloads over distances exceeding 1,500 km and is intended for use by all branches of the Indian armed forces.
This cutting-edge weapon was created at the APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad, with contributions from other DRDO labs and industry partners.
Hypersonic missiles are defined by their ability to travel at speeds of at least five times the speed of sound (Mach 5), which equates to around 6,125 km/h at sea level. Advanced versions can reach speeds exceeding Mach 15.
Currently, Russia and China lead in hypersonic missile development, while the United States is working on its own range of hypersonic weapons. Other countries, including France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Iran, and Israel, are also advancing their own hypersonic missile programs.
