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Missiles and Defence Technology
6.1 DRDO and India's Defence Ecosystem
DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) was established on 1 January 1958, with its headquarters in New Delhi. It operates a network of 52 laboratories across India (DRDL Hyderabad, CVRDE Chennai, HEMRL Pune, DMRL Hyderabad, etc.) with a budget of Rs 23,855 crore in 2024–25.
Key DRDO achievements include:
- Tejas (fighter aircraft), Arjun (main battle tank), INS Kalvari submarines (contributions)
- IGMDP missiles, Kavach (marine chaff system), Helina (helicopter-launched anti-tank missile)
- Laser-guided bomb systems
6.2 IGMDP Missiles
IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme) was launched in 1983 with APJ Abdul Kalam as Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister. Completed in 2008, it developed 5 missile systems:
| Missile | Type | Range | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prithvi | Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile | 150–500 km | Inducted into Army and Air Force |
| Agni (series) | Ballistic Missile | 700–8,000+ km | Strategic deterrent |
| Akash | Surface-to-Air | 25–45 km | Inducted; exported to Armenia |
| Trishul | Surface-to-Air (naval/short) | 9 km | Phased out |
| Nag | Anti-Tank Guided Missile | 7–8 km | Inducted; helicopter variant: Helina |
Agni Series — India's Strategic Missiles
| Missile | Range | Special Features |
|---|---|---|
| Agni-I | ~700 km | Short-range strategic; road-mobile |
| Agni-II | ~2,000 km | Intermediate range |
| Agni-III | ~3,000 km | Intermediate range |
| Agni-IV | ~4,000 km | Re-entry vehicle; road/rail mobile |
| Agni-V | ~5,000–8,000 km | India's first ICBM-range missile (ICBM if > 5,500 km); MIRV capable |
| Agni-VI | 10,000–12,000 km (planned) | Under development; MIRV, manoeuvrable RV |
MIRV (Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicles) allows a single ballistic missile to carry multiple warheads that can strike different targets. India tested Agni-V MIRV capability ("Mission Divyastra") on 11 March 2024 — making India one of a few nations with this capability.
6.3 BrahMos and Advanced Missile Systems
BrahMos
- Joint venture: India (DRDO + BDL) and Russia (NPOM); name combines Brahmaputra + Moskva rivers
- JV established: 1998; type: supersonic cruise missile
- Speed: Mach 2.8 — the fastest operationally deployed supersonic cruise missile in the world (hypersonic BrahMos-II under development at Mach 8)
- Range: 290 km (original) — extended to 450 km and 800 km+ under export versions
- Variants: Ground-launched, ship-launched (INS Kochi), air-launched (Su-30MKI), submarine-launched
- First export: Philippines (January 2022) — $374 million deal for shore-based BrahMos system (India's first missile system export)
Other Advanced Missiles
- Pralay (2021): India's first quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile; 150–500 km range; low observable trajectory
- QRSAM (Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile): For mobile short-range air defence
- Manapad (Igla-S): Man-portable air-defence system for infantry
- Astra (Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile): India's first BVR missile; range 100+ km
- SMART (Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo): Anti-submarine warfare; torpedo delivery by missile
6.4 Drone Technology
Global context: Modern warfare has been transformed by drones (UAVs — Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). Key categories:
| Category | Examples | Use |
|---|---|---|
| MALE (Medium Altitude Long Endurance) | Predator (USA), Heron (Israel/India) | ISR, strike |
| UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) | MQ-9 Reaper, Bayraktar TB2 (Turkey) | Strike missions |
| Loitering munitions ("kamikaze drones") | Switchblade (USA), Harop (Israel), DRDO Nagastra-1 | Strike and self-destruct |
| Commercial/Nano drones | DJI (China), ideaForge (India) | Surveillance, logistics, agriculture |
India's Drone Ecosystem
- Drone Policy 2021 (liberalised): Removed licensing requirements for most drone categories; simplified operations
- PLI Scheme for Drones (2021): Rs 120 crore incentive over 3 years to build domestic manufacturing
- Drone Didi Scheme (2023): 15,000 Self Help Groups (rural women) to be given drones for agricultural services
- Major Indian makers: ideaForge (largest; IPO 2023), Garuda Aerospace (Tamil Nadu + Rajasthan), Throttle Aerospace, Drona Aviation
India's Military Drones
- Heron (Israeli-manufactured): Long-endurance surveillance by Indian Army and Navy
- Rustom-2 (TAPAS-BH): DRDO-developed MALE drone; trial flights completed; under induction
- Ghatak (UCAV): DRDO stealth unmanned combat aircraft demonstrator; delta-wing; under development
- Nagastra-1: India's first indigenous loitering munition; developed by Solar Industries + DRDO; inducted into Indian Army 2024; range 15–30 km
- Army's operational use (2023): India used Kamikaze drones against Pakistani terror launchpads near LoC in August 2023 (Operation Sindoor-precursor operations)