INDIA has announced the successful test of a domestically developed long-range hypersonic missile, marking a significant milestone in military technology.
This development places India among a select group of nations with such advanced capabilities.
Countries such as India, China, Russia, and the United States are engaged in the global pursuit of hypersonic weapons, focusing on the development of advanced long-range missile systems.
The missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with industry partners, is designed to deliver payloads over distances exceeding 1,500 km (930 miles).
In a statement, the government said, "The flight data ... confirmed the successful terminal manoeuvres and impact with high degree of accuracy."
The test was conducted on Saturday from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, located off the eastern coast of Odisha, the statement added.
India's defence minister Rajnath Singh described the test as a "historic achievement" in a post on X (formerly Twitter), noting that it placed India among the few nations possessing such critical and advanced technologies.
The @DRDO_India has successfully conducted a flight trial of its long range hypersonic missile on 16th Nov 2024 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off-the-coast of Odisha.
Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh has congratulated DRDO, Armed Forces and the Industry for successful flight… pic.twitter.com/wq7yM2YS9f
— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) November 17, 2024
(With inputs from Reuters)
Vikram Doraiswami
Andrew Quintman
Lord Jitesh Gadhia 
