The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted successful tests of the Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Phase-II system, with the objective of enhancing the country's capability to intercept long-range ballistic missile threats. The system is capable of intercepting ballistic projectiles fired at India in both exo-atmospheric and endo-atmospheric environments.
The success of the tests has put India into an elite group of nations possessing Ballistic Missile Defence capabilities to engage ballistic missiles up to the scale of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), the Defence Ministry said.
"Three consecutive flight tests were successfully conducted to demonstrate a multi-layered defence against long-range ballistic missiles, as well as an anti-ship capability at medium range. The interceptors successfully engaged their respective targets. The systems are designed and developed with the latest technologies to address emerging missile threats," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on X.
According to reports, the new missile interceptor system is capable of neutralizing ballistic threats at distances as far as 5,000 kilometres.
Phase I of India's Ballistic Missile Defence offers protection to urban centres, including Delhi and Mumbai, from threats posed by medium-range ballistic missiles at a range of around 2,000 kilometres, Defence Security Asia said in a report. Phase-II will expand the interception spectrum to faster, higher, and longer-range threats. Home-built long-range detection radars and integrated mission control centres are part of this powerful defence system, the report added.
The capability to intercept threats outside the atmosphere, as well as in the lower atmosphere, means India's rivals will find it fundamentally difficult to breach the country's layered air defence facilities.
Rajnath Singh on X also confirmed that anti-ship defence at medium range was demonstrated during the maiden flight test of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Medium Range (NASM-MR). "Congratulations to DRDO on successfully demonstrating these crucial technologies," he said.
