Key Indian Missiles
To fully understand India’s defence readiness, it is necessary to look at the specific features of its most important missile systems. Below is a detailed breakdown of the major missiles, designed for easy memorisation and quick revision.
Agni Missiles
- The Agni missile series is part of India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) launched in the 1980s under Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
- They are surface-to-surface, nuclear-capable ballistic missiles developed by DRDO to strengthen India’s credible minimum deterrence under its nuclear doctrine.
- The series provides India with a triad-based deterrence strategy, complementing air and sea-based delivery systems.
Classification of Agni Missiles
Missile | Operational Range | Stages / Fuel System | Key Features and Strategic Role |
Agni-I | ~700–1,200 km | Single-stage, Solid fuel | Short-range ballistic missile designed for quick deployment. |
Agni-II | ~2,000–3,000 km | Two-stage, Solid fuel | Provides medium-range strike capability. |
Agni-III | ~3,500 km | Two-stage, Solid fuel | Intermediate-range missile capable of striking deep into China. |
Agni-IV | ~3,500–4,000 km | Two-stage, Solid fuel | Features enhanced accuracy with advanced navigation and guidance systems. |
Agni-V | 5,000–5,500+ km | Three-stage, Solid fuel | Long-range intercontinental capability equipped with MIRV technology. |
Agni-VI (Under development) | 8,000–10,000 km | Likely Three-stage, Solid fuel | Expected to feature highly advanced MIRV and MARV (Manoeuvrable Re-entry Vehicle) capabilities. |
Agni-V
- Type: Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), Surface-to-Surface.
- Range: Over 5,000 kilometres.
- Key Features:
- Engine: It uses a three-stage solid-propellant engine, which allows for very quick deployment and launch during emergencies.
- Reach: It brings almost all of Asia and parts of Europe within its striking range.
- MIRV Technology: Recently tested under ‘Mission Divyastra’, Agni-V is equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. This means a single missile can carry multiple nuclear warheads and strike different targets hundreds of kilometres apart simultaneously.
- Navigation: It uses highly advanced ring laser gyroscopes to hit targets with pinpoint accuracy.
BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile
- Origin and Name: It is jointly developed by India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPOM. The name “BrahMos” is formed by combining the names of two rivers: the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia.
- Type and Speed: It is an all-weather supersonic cruise missile. It travels at a speed of Mach 2.8 (nearly three times the speed of sound), making it one of the fastest and hardest to intercept cruise missiles in the world.
- Range and Payload: It was initially designed with an operational range of 290 km and carries a conventional warhead weighing between 200 to 300 kg.
- Operational Principle: It operates strictly on the “fire-and-forget” principle, meaning it guides itself to the target automatically after launch without needing further human control.
- Multi-Platform Capability: It is highly versatile and comes in multiple variants. It can be launched from land (mobile launchers), ships, submerged submarines, and aircraft (like the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets).
- Stealth and Navigation: To avoid enemy detection, it uses stealth features like a low radar cross-section and sea-skimming (flying very close to the water’s surface). It uses an Inertial Navigation System (INS) for initial guidance and an active radar system to lock onto the final target.
- Current Status: It is currently fully operational and inducted into all three branches of the Indian Armed Forces: the Army, Navy, and Air Force. It is primarily used for precision strikes against enemy ships, heavily fortified bunkers, and strategic military installations.
Fire-and-Forget
- Meaning: A missile that guides itself after launch, with no further human control.
- Increases pilot safety, as the aircraft can immediately turn away after firing without worrying about guiding the missile.
Nag and Helina
- Type: Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM).
- Range: 4 kilometres (Land version), 7 to 10 kilometres (Helicopter version).
- Key Features:
- Purpose: Designed specifically to destroy highly fortified enemy battle tanks during ground combat.
- Seeker Technology: It uses an advanced Imaging Infra-Red seeker. This allows the missile to lock onto the heat produced by the enemy tank’s engine, making it highly accurate even in complete darkness.
- Variants: The land version (Nag) is fired from a specially designed tracked vehicle called NAMICA. The airborne version (Helina or Dhruvastra) is fired from military helicopters.
Astra
- Type: Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air-to-Air Missile.
- Range: Over 100 kilometres.
- Key Features:
- Purpose: Carried by fighter jets (like the Su-30 MKI and Tejas) to destroy enemy aircraft in the sky.
- Advantage: Because it is a “Beyond Visual Range” missile, an Indian pilot can lock onto and destroy an enemy plane that is too far away to be seen with the naked eye. This keeps Indian aircraft out of the range of the enemy’s defensive weapons.
- Electronic Warfare: It is equipped with advanced systems to resist electronic jamming by the enemy.
K-15 Sagarika
- Type: Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM).
- Range: 750 kilometres.
- Key Features:
- Platform: It is specifically designed to be fired from India’s nuclear-powered submarines, such as the INS Arihant.
- Strategic Importance: This missile completes India’s Nuclear Triad. If an enemy destroys land-based missile sites in a first strike, submarines hidden deep in the ocean can use the K-15 to launch a guaranteed retaliatory nuclear strike.
Nirbhay
- Type: Subsonic Cruise Missile.
- Range: 1,000 kilometres.
- Key Features:
- Flight Pattern: It behaves like a pilotless aircraft. It can fly at very low altitudes (like tree-top level).
- Stealth: By flying low, it stays hidden beneath the detection range of enemy early-warning radar systems, making surprise attacks highly effective.
- Capability: It can carry both conventional high explosives and nuclear warheads.
AMOGHA – III ATGM
Amogha-III is a third-generation fire-and-forget Anti-Tank Guided Missile designed and developed by the in – house R&D Division of BDL.
- Range: 200 – 2500 m.
- Attack mode: Top / direct attack.
- Man-portable.
- Tandem warhead with penetration in excess of 650 mm beyond Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA).
- Dual Mode Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) Seeker.
- Aerodynamic and Thrust Vector Control.
- Smokeless, Signature-free Propulsion System.
- Soft launch.
Supersonic / Hypersonic
- Supersonic: Speed faster than sound (Mach 1+; e.g., BrahMos at Mach 2.8).
- Hypersonic: Speed five times faster than sound (Mach 5+; e.g., BrahMos-II planned).
Sagarika/Shaurya
- The K-15 Sagarika is an Indian submarine-launched ballistic missile
- Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM)/Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM)(SLBM) with a range of approximately 700 km.
- nuclear-capable hypersonic missile
- RANGE- sea 700-750 km (Sagarika), Land- 3,000-3,500 km (Shaurya)
- Two-stage solid propellant
Prahaar
- The Prahaar is a short-range, solid propellant, road-mobile ballistic missile designed for tactical strikes against close range targets.
- WARHEAD- Nuclear, HE, submunitions
- RANGE- 150 km
- Single-stage solid propellant
Pralay missile
- surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile (SRBM)
- ‘Pralay’ is a 350-500 km short-range, surface-to-surface missile with a payload capacity of 500-1,000 kg
- Pralay’ has been developed for deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and Line of Control (LoC)
Missile Type | Meaning / Use | Example in India |
Ballistic Missile | Travels mainly on a ballistic path after launch; used for short, medium, or long-range strike. | Agni series (for example, Agni-5), Prithvi-II, Pralay |
Cruise Missile | Flies within the atmosphere, usually at low or medium altitude, toward the target with guided navigation. | BrahMos supersonic cruise missile |
Anti-Ship Missile | Used to attack enemy warships and naval targets. | BrahMos anti-ship variant; India is also developing LR-AShM for coastal battery roles |
Anti-Aircraft Missile | Designed to destroy aircraft and other aerial threats. | Akash, MRSAM/Barak-8 |
Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) | Fired from the ground to intercept aircraft, drones, helicopters, or incoming missiles. | Akash, Akash-NG, MRSAM |
Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM) | Launched from land to strike targets on land. | Prithvi-II, Pralay, Agni series |
Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) | Guided missile used to destroy tanks and armoured vehicles. | Nag, HELINA (Dhruvastra), MPATGM |
Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) | Very long-range ballistic missile capable of striking targets across continents. | India’s Agni-5 is often described as near-ICBM / intercontinental-range class in public discussions |
Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) | Ballistic missile launched from a submarine. | K-15 (Sagarika), K-4 |
Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) | Designed to intercept and destroy incoming ballistic missiles. | India’s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) interceptor system, including Phase-II AD interceptor |
MANPADS | Man-portable air-defence missile carried and operated by soldiers. | VSHORADS (Very Short-Range Air Defence System) |
Other products of DRDO
Advanced Support Platforms, UAVs, and Electronic Warfare
While missiles often get the most public attention, modern wars cannot be won with weapons alone. A military needs to actively see the enemy, gather information safely, and block enemy communications. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed several advanced support systems to serve as the “eyes, ears, and invisible shields” of the Indian Armed Forces.
1. Must-Know Defence Terminology
Before diving into specific systems, it is important to understand the standard terminology used for modern surveillance and support equipment:
- Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT): A small drone-like aircraft used as a “fake enemy” for training. It allows the Air Force and Navy to practice shooting down enemy aircraft or missiles without the risk of real conflict.
- Aerostat: A large balloon filled with helium that carries radars and cameras high into the sky. It is a highly cost-effective way to maintain constant surveillance over borders without keeping expensive airplanes in the air.
- Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARRV): A heavy, tank-like support vehicle designed to tow, repair, or recover damaged tanks on the battlefield. It is vital for keeping armies moving in war zones.
- Loitering Munition: A hybrid weapon that sits between a drone and a missile. It flies around (“loiters”) in the sky until it detects a specific target, and then dives down to destroy it. It is excellent for hitting moving or hidden targets.
- UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle): A drone equipped with weapons, designed to attack targets without a pilot inside. It reduces human risk and can operate safely in highly dangerous enemy zones.
2. Radar and Surveillance Platforms
A radar uses radio waves to detect the speed, distance, and direction of moving objects. DRDO has built a strong indigenous radar network to secure Indian borders across all terrains.
- Swathi Weapon Locating Radar (WLR): A highly successful mobile artillery radar. If an enemy fires an artillery gun from across the border, Swathi tracks the incoming shell in mid-air and instantly calculates the exact location of the enemy gun. This allows the Indian Army to fire back and destroy the enemy position within seconds.
- Rajendra Radar: A passive electronically scanned array (PESA) radar. It is the primary sensor for the Akash Surface-to-Air Missile system, guiding the missile to its target accurately.
- Rohini Radar: A 3D Medium Range Surveillance Radar used by the Indian Air Force. It can detect and track multiple enemy aircraft and UAVs flying at low to medium altitudes, up to a distance of 170 kilometres, even in hostile electronic environments
- Revathi Radar: A 3D Surveillance Radar specifically built for the Indian Navy. Mounted on warships, it can automatically track up to 150 targets simultaneously over the sea
- Akashdeep: A medium-class Aerostat surveillance platform. It is a tethered balloon that floats 1 kilometre high in the sky, carrying a 200 kg payload of cameras and sensors for continuous border monitoring.
3. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) / The Drones
UAVs, commonly known as drones, are aircraft that fly without a human pilot onboard. They conduct dangerous missions without putting a pilot’s life at risk. India operates a mix of indigenously developed UAVs and advanced imported systems.
Indigenously Developed UAVs (DRDO):
1) Target Drones:
- Lakshya: A Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA). It is a reusable drone that flies like an enemy aircraft, used by the armed forces as a moving target for training.
- Abhyas: A High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT). Flown by an autopilot, it offers a realistic threat scenario for weapon systems practice.
2) Surveillance Drones:
- Nishant: A multi-mission UAV made for the Indian Army. It is launched from a mobile catapult launcher and lands safely using a Recovery Parachute System. It is used for battlefield surveillance and artillery fire correction.
- Panchi: A wheeled variant of the Nishant UAV. It has composite landing gear, allowing it to take off and land conventionally on a runway
- Rustom-1: An 800 kg class drone. It is India’s first remotely piloted aircraft to have conventional take-off and landing capability along with an autonomous “Get-To-Home” feature.
- TAPAS BH-201 (formerly Rustom-II): A Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone. It is designed to fly high in the sky for up to 24 hours continuously to keep a strict watch over the borders.
3) Combat Drones:
- Ghatak (formerly AURA): Currently under development, this is an advanced, autonomous stealth UCAV. Unlike surveillance drones, Ghatak features an internal weapons bay designed to carry missiles and bombs to strike targets deep inside enemy territory without being detected by radar.
Imported UAVs (Israel Aerospace Industries):
- Heron and Searcher: Highly advanced surveillance drones. They played a crucial role during the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, locating trapped survivors and relaying live photographs to rescue teams.
- Harpy: A dedicated loitering munition. It is designed to detect and destroy enemy radar systems (a tactic known as SEAD) by crashing into them with a high-explosive warhead.
4. Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems
In today’s digital age, battles are fought over the electromagnetic spectrum. Electronic Warfare involves intercepting enemy communications, jamming their radars, and protecting India’s own electronic signals.
- Netra AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control): Often called an “eye in the sky.” It is a massive radar system mounted on top of an Embraer aircraft. By flying high in the air, Netra can detect incoming enemy fighter jets and cruise missiles from hundreds of kilometres away. It was notably used during the Balakot airstrikes to monitor Pakistani airspace.
- Samyukta: A massive, mobile Electronic Warfare system developed for the Indian Army. Spread across multiple vehicles, it can intercept, monitor, and jam enemy radio communications over a very large area.
- Shakti System: An advanced EW system designed for Indian Navy warships. It helps Indian ships intercept enemy signals and can jam incoming anti-ship missiles, forcing them to miss their targets.
5. Armoured Vehicles and Ground Systems
- Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) Mk I: India’s premier indigenous tank, offering superior firepower, high mobility, and excellent protection. Due to its exceptional performance in desert terrains, tank experts named it the “Desert Ferrari”.
- Arjun ARRV: The Armoured Recovery and Repair Vehicle. It acts as a mobile garage on the battlefield. Its functions include winching, lifting, welding, and providing power supply to rescue and repair damaged Arjun MBTs during a war.
- 130 mm SP Vijayanta Catapult: A self-propelled artillery system created by mounting a heavy 130 mm gun onto the redesigned chassis of a Vijayanta tank.
- MUNTRA UGV: India’s first Unmanned Ground Vehicle. It is a heavily armoured vehicle that has been converted to be operated entirely by remote control for dangerous, autonomous missions.
6. Specialized Defence Technologies
- Kaveri Core Engine (Kabini): The core section (compressor, combustor, and turbine) of the indigenous Kaveri jet engine, used to study high-pressure aerodynamic behaviour.
- Helinet: Specialized high-strength textile nets designed for Cheetah and Chetak helicopters. These nets are slung beneath the helicopter to transport heavy equipment into difficult mountainous terrains.
- Acid Fuel Cell Catalyst: A corrosion-resistant catalyst developed by NMRL, making acid fuel cells more durable for powering advanced military equipment efficiently.
