India has tested its first long-range hypersonic missile, the Ministry of Defense revealed on Sunday, joining a select group of countries with such weapons programs.
The test was performed on Saturday night on Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of the eastern state of Odisha, by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, a Ministry of Defense body.
The missile, which can deliver payloads over 1,500 kilometers, was “indigenously developed by the laboratories of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad, along with various other DRDO laboratories and industry partners,” according to a statement issued by the ministry on Sunday.
“The flight data obtained from down range ship stations confirmed the successful terminal maneuvers and impact with high degree of accuracy.”
Defense Minister Rajnath Singh took to social media to say the test was a “historic moment” that has put India country in the “group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies”.
“At a time when India is surrounded with adversaries possessing long-range ballistic missiles, the latest hypersonic missile will deter them from launching a preemptive strike on Indian locations”.
Speaking further, Defense expert Ranjit Kumar said that the successful launch of the hypersonic missile has enhanced the deterrent capabilities of the Indian missile arsenal.
Hypersonic missiles can travel at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound, or 6,115 km per hour — much faster than other ballistic and cruise missiles, making them more difficult to track than traditional missile technology.
The other countries known to have such capabilities are the US, China, and Russia.
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