DRDO Successfully Tests India's First Long-Range Hypersonic Missile Off Odisha Coast

On November 16, 2024, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a flight test of India’s first long-range hypersonic missile. The test took place from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, located off the coast of Odisha. Designed to carry a variety of payloads, the hypersonic missile is capable of striking targets over a range of more than 1,500 kilometers, enhancing the capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.

The missile’s flight was meticulously tracked by a network of advanced range systems across multiple domains. Data gathered from various downrange ship stations confirmed the missile’s successful terminal maneuvers and precise impact, validating the high accuracy of its design.

This missile is the result of indigenous development by the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO labs and industry partners. The flight trial was conducted in the presence of senior DRDO scientists and high-ranking officials from the Indian Armed Forces.

Following the successful trial, Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh took to X (formerly Twitter) to call the achievement "historic." He highlighted that India is now among a select group of nations with such advanced hypersonic missile technology. The Defence Minister also extended his congratulations to DRDO, the Armed Forces, and the industry partners involved in the successful test.