India’s missile scientists in top gear with six successful tests in five weeks

NEW DELHI: Amidst tensions in Ladakh along the border with China, India’s missile programs have taken huge leaps in the past month. At least six separate weapons were successfully tested in the last five weeks by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

DRDO has successfully tested the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) on September 8, the extended range variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile on September 30, an anti-tank guided missile on September 23 and on October 1, a lighter version of the nuclear-capable Shaurya on October 3, the ‘SMART’ torpedo on October 5 and most recently, an anti-radiation missile today.

All these missile tests have kept the country’s missile scientists on their toes—and official sources indicate many more tests are lined up in the days to come including that of the 800 km-range subsonic ‘Nirbhay’ cruise missile.

Latest in the series is the new generation Anti Radiation Missile (RUDRAM), which was successfully flight tested. This is the first indigenous anti-radiation missile of the country, design and developed by the DRDO.