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हिन्दी — Read in HindiMissiles and air defence
India's missile families and air defence systems, and the regimes that control missile technology. Prelims has asked about Agni-IV and how ballistic and cruise missiles differ.
Foundation note: Ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles
All 5 articles shown; the 1 that changed from 1 to 30 June 2026 are marked.Show only these
Agni-4
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Agni-4 is an indigenously developed missile of the intermediate range class, with a range of about 4,000 km.
- The intermediate range class runs from 3,000 to 5,500 km.
- It can carry either a conventional or a nuclear warhead.
What changed
6 Aug 2026BriefIndia tested it from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, on the Odisha coast. The launch was carried out by the Strategic Forces Command and validated all operational and technical parameters. PIB, 6 Aug 2026: Agni-4 test-fired (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 7 Aug 2026: Agni-4 test-fired (opens in a new tab)
UPSC has asked
- Prelims 2014: the Agni-IV missile's type, propellant and range
Project Kusha
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Project Kusha is DRDO's long range surface to air missile system, with indigenous missiles, radars and command centre, in a class India has so far bought abroad.
What changed
23 Jul 2026BriefThe Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) flight tested its long range surface to air missile for the first time from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, intercepting an electronic target that simulated a fast, high altitude threat. PIB, 23 Jul 2026: DRDO conducts successful maiden flight-test of ‘Kusha’ Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (opens in a new tab)
Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket
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Pinaka is the Army's multi barrel rocket launcher, and its guided long range rocket fires from the launcher already in service, so one launcher can fire variants of different ranges.
What changed
8 Jul 2026BriefDRDO tested the guided rocket at Chandipur for a user defined minimum range of 60 km. PIB, 8 Jul 2026: DRDO conducts successful flight-test of Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (opens in a new tab) · The Hindu, 9 Jul 2026: DRDO conducts successful flight test of Pinaka rocket (opens in a new tab)
BrahMos exports
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BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile made by a joint venture of DRDO and a Russian partner, so each export needs agreement on both sides; the Philippines was the first customer.
What changed
7 Jul 2026BriefIndia will supply two batteries of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to Indonesia, which joins the Philippines and Vietnam as customers. The Indian Express, 7 Jul 2026: India to supply two BrahMos batteries to Indonesia, taking the export list to three countries (opens in a new tab)
Mission Sudarshan Chakra
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LeadMission Sudarshan Chakra: a layered missile shieldJune 2026
Why in news
In three tests on 10 and 11 June 2026 the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) demonstrated multi layered ballistic missile defence against long range ballistic missiles. In the same week the Defence Minister set out Mission Sudarshan Chakra, India's plan for a layered missile shield.
Background
- A ballistic missile is powered only at launch; it then follows a high arc and falls on its target at great speed.
- A cruise missile flies low under power all the way, like a pilotless aircraft.
- Ballistic missile defence destroys an incoming missile in flight with an interceptor missile.
- India's existing ballistic missile defence programme has two layers: one that intercepts outside the atmosphere (exo atmospheric) and one inside it (endo atmospheric).
- Mission Sudarshan Chakra was announced on Independence Day 2025.
What the Mission is
- A multi level, three layered defence to protect military, critical and civil infrastructure.
- It joins sensors, command systems and interceptors of different ranges, so that what one layer misses the next can stop.
- Separately, Sudarshan Kavach, a multi layered air defence system that uses artificial intelligence, is under development.
The June tests
- DRDO says the tests place India among the nations able to engage targets of up to intercontinental range.
- In the same weeks it flew the Naval Anti Ship Missile Medium Range for the first time and tested the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile.
The plan behind it
- The Defence Forces Vision 2047 stresses integration of the three services and dedicated missile and drone forces.
- The Defence Minister's point at the time: production capacity must be built into development, so that systems are made in numbers and inducted in time.
- DRDO does most of its work in its own laboratories; the United States agency DARPA uses a small team of managers and outsources development.
The limits
- Cost: an interceptor costs far more than many of the weapons it stops.
- Saturation: no shield stops everything if enough missiles and drones arrive together.
- Stability: a shield may lead an adversary to build more missiles.
The way forward
- Bring private industry into production, as DRDO has committed to do.
- Join the shield to cheaper layers against drones: jamming, guns and directed energy.
- Integrate the three services' air defence under one command and control system.
Prelims facts
- Mission Sudarshan Chakra was announced on Independence Day 2025.
- The tests were conducted by DRDO.
- An intercontinental ballistic missile has a range above 5,500 km.
- RudraM is an air to surface missile.
Mission Sudarshan Chakra, announced on Independence Day 2025, is described by the Defence Minister as a multi level, three layered missile defence system to protect military, critical and civil infrastructure. Research Centre Imarat in Hyderabad is the nodal laboratory for air launched missiles such as RudraM, and the Aeronautical Development Establishment in Bengaluru for the long range land attack cruise missile. RudraM-II, an air to surface missile, was flight tested by DRDO and the Indian Air Force in June 2026.
What changed
13 Jun 2026LeadMission Sudarshan Chakra: a layered missile shield