India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a salvo test-launch of the indigenously developed Pralay quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile on January 11, 2026, at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha. The test demonstrated India's advanced capability to launch two Pralay missiles sequentially from the same launcher within a short interval — a critical tactical requirement for modern battlefield operations.
The Pralay missile is powered by a solid propellant and has a proven strike range of 350–500 km, making it suitable for targeting enemy assets deep inside adversary territory. It carries a payload of approximately one tonne, sufficient for both conventional high-explosive and potential future precision warhead configurations. The missile uses an advanced inertial navigation system with mid-course corrections, enabling high accuracy against fixed and semi-fixed targets.
The salvo launch capability — firing two missiles from the same launcher in rapid succession — is of particular strategic significance. In battlefield scenarios, this allows saturation of enemy air defence systems, increasing the probability of at least one missile reaching its target even in a high-threat environment. The test was monitored by DRDO scientists, Ministry of Defence officials, and senior military personnel from the Indian Army.
The Pralay missile system is expected to be inducted into the Indian Army in the near future, adding a potent surface-to-surface strike capability that currently exists in China's PLA Rocket Force and Pakistan's tactical ballistic missile arsenal. The induction of Pralay will significantly enhance India's deterrence posture along both its northern and western borders.
This test is part of DRDO's broader push for defence indigenization under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, reducing India's dependence on imported missile systems and strengthening the domestic defence industrial base.