India tests second phase of key ballistic missile defence system
India is pursuing its ballistic missile defence programme in two phases – the first phase has been completed while the second is underway for validating intercept systems in a new range category.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday successfully flight-tested the second phase of India’s ballistic missile defence system off the Odisha coast to thwart threats from missiles with a range of 5,000 km, the defence ministry announced.
“The target missile was launched from LC-IV Dharma (a launch site in Odisha) at 1620 hrs, mimicking (an) adversary ballistic missile, which was detected by weapon system radars deployed on land and sea, and activated the interceptor system,” it said in a statement.
India is pursuing its ballistic missile defence programme in two phases – the first phase has been completed while the second is underway for validating intercept systems in a new range category.
“The phase-II ‘AD endo-atmospheric missile’ was launched from LC-III at ITR, Chandipur at 1624 hrs. The flight test fully met all the trial objectives,” it said, adding that the test demonstrated indigenous capability to defend against ballistic missiles of 5000-km class.
The performance of the missile was monitored from the flight data captured by range tracking instruments.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh complimented DRDO for the successful flight test, stating it has again demonstrated India’s ballistic missile defence capability.
In April 2023, DRDO and Indian Navy carried out the maiden flight trial of sea-based endo-atmospheric interceptor missile off the coast of Odisha, displaying the country’s naval ballistic missile defence capabilities to intercept long-range missiles.
India has made significant advances in developing endo-atmospheric and exo-atmospheric intercept systems to destroy incoming hostile missiles within and outside the atmospheric limits, respectively. The two systems have been integrated for a multi-layered defence against ballistic missiles.
In November 2022, DRDO successfully tested for the first time a long-range interceptor missile, called AD-1, designed for both exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric interception of ballistic missiles.