India announced the successful test of its first long-range hypersonic missile, a development Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh hailed as a “historic moment.”
The Indian missile took off from Abdul Kalam Island on the east coast on November 16, 2024. Developed by the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation in collaboration with industry partners, it is designed to deliver payloads over distances exceeding 1,500 kilometers (930 miles).
According to the Indian Ministry of Defense, the test was tracked by down-range ship stations, which confirmed the successful terminal maneuvers and accurate impact.
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
“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,” said Singh in a statement following the test.
Hypersonic missiles, capable of flying at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound), have attracted global attention for their transformative military potential. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, hypersonic weapons fly at lower altitudes and are maneuverable, making them harder to detect and intercept. Their ability to evade modern air defense systems has sparked an arms race among major powers, including the United States, Russia, and China.