Indian Navy successfully tests Ballistic Missile Defence Interceptor

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy successfully conducted a maiden flight trial of sea-based endo-atmospheric interceptor missile off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal.

The purpose of the trial was to engage and neutralize a hostile ballistic missile threat thereby elevating India into the elite club of Nations having Naval BMD capability. Prior to this, DRDO has successfully demonstrated land-based BMD systems with capability to neutralize ballistic missile threats, emerging from adversaries.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, Indian Navy and Industry involved in successful demonstration of ship based Ballistic Missile defence capabilities. Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat complimented the teams involved in the design and development of the missile. He said that the nation has achieved self-reliance in developing highly-complex network-centric anti-ballistic missile systems.

On March 25, the Indian Navy successfully test fired the ship-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic missile in the Arabian Sea. The DRDO-designed Indigenous Seeker and Booster were used for the test, the Navy stated in a statement, underscoring its commitment to Aatma Nirbharta.

The missile strike was carried out from a Kolkata-class guided missile destroyer warship. 

According to Navy authorities, BrahMos Aerospace is perpetually improving the missile’s indigenous content. BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, an India-Russian joint venture, manufactures supersonic cruise missiles that can be fired from land, ships, submarines, ships or aircraft. BrahMos missile flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound.

The Indian Navy and the Andaman and Nicobar Command successfully test-fired the supersonic cruise missile’s anti-ship model in April last year. BrahMos missiles are also exported by India.