The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a flight trial of India’s first long-range hypersonic missile late on Saturday. The test was carried out from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, located off the coast of Odisha.

The hypersonic missile is designed to carry multiple payloads over distances exceeding 1,500 kilometres. It has been developed to strengthen the capabilities of the Armed Forces. According to the Ministry of Defence, the missile was tracked using advanced range systems deployed across various platforms. Data collected from ship stations confirmed the missile's precise terminal manoeuvers and accurate impact on its target.

This missile has been developed indigenously by scientists at the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex in Hyderabad, in collaboration with several other DRDO laboratories and industry partners. Senior DRDO scientists and Armed Forces officers witnessed the successful flight trial.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called the trial a historic achievement. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he highlighted “India has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting flight trial of the long-range hypersonic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off-the-coast of Odisha. This is a historic moment and this significant achievement has put our country in the group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies.”

The development and testing of this hypersonic missile mark a major milestone for India's defence sector, showcasing the country’s growing capabilities in cutting-edge military technology. The missile’s successful trial further underscores the government’s commitment to achieving self-reliance in defence production.

This achievement is expected to bolster India’s strategic defence capabilities and provide the Armed Forces with an advanced weapon system that can meet modern security challenges.