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Missiles and air defence

Missiles and the defences against them: how missiles are classed by flight, range and launch, 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.

UPSC has asked

  • Prelims 2023: how ballistic and cruise missiles are propelled

Showing 4 of 4 subjects, those that changed from 1 July to 15 September 2026.Show all

Agni-4

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Prelims

The first division among missiles is between the ballistic missile and the cruise missile, by how the missile flies. The second is range, running from short-range through medium and intermediate to intercontinental. The third is launch mode: surface to surface, surface to air, air to air, air to surface and submarine launched.

  • Agni-4 is indigenously developed.
  • Its range of about 4,000 km places it in the medium-range class.
  • It can carry either a conventional or a nuclear warhead.
  • India 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.

What changed

  1. 6 Aug 2026

    PIB, 6 Aug 2026: Agni-4 test-fired (opens in a new tab)

Background reading: 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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Prelims

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

  1. 23 Jul 2026New subject

    • The 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.
    • The missiles, radars and command centre are all indigenous, in a class India has so far imported.

    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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Prelims

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

  1. 8 Jul 2026New subject

    • DRDO tested the guided rocket at Chandipur for a user defined minimum range of 60 km. It was fired from the launcher already in service, so one launcher can fire Pinaka variants of different ranges.

    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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Prelims and Mains

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

  1. 7 Jul 2026New subject

    • India will supply two batteries of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to Indonesia, which joins the Philippines and Vietnam as customers.
    • BrahMos is made by a joint venture of DRDO and a Russian partner, so each export needs agreement on both sides.

    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)