India has successfully tested a domestically developed long-range hypersonic missile, marking a significant milestone in its military development, the government announced on Sunday. This achievement places India in an exclusive group of nations—alongside China, Russia, and the United States—capable of developing and deploying hypersonic missile technology.
The missile, developed by the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with industry partners, is designed to carry payloads over distances exceeding 1,500 km (930 miles), according to an official statement. The test confirmed that the missile performed successful terminal manoeuvres and struck its target with a high degree of accuracy, the statement added.
The test firing occurred on Saturday from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the eastern coast of Odisha, an area often used for missile trials. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the test as a “historic achievement” on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that it has positioned India among a select group of nations with access to such advanced military technologies.
The global race for hypersonic weapons has gained momentum, with several countries striving to develop long-range, high-speed missile systems. India’s successful test reflects its ongoing efforts to strengthen its defense capabilities and further its technological advancements in the field of missile development.
