India successfully test-fires indigenous long range hypersonic missile

New Delhi: India has successfully test-fired a long range hypersonic missile from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.

The missile was test-fired on Saturday, according to officials.

The @DRDO_India has successfully conducted a flight trial of its long range hypersonic missile on 16th Nov 2024 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off-the-coast of Odisha.

Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh has congratulated DRDO, Armed Forces and the Industry for successful flight… pic.twitter.com/wq7yM2YS9f

— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) November 17, 2024

This hypersonic missile is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1500km for all the Services of the Indian Armed Forces.

This missile has been indigenously developed by the laboratories of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad along with various other DRDO laboratories and Industry Partners.

Singh described the test-firing of the missile as a historic moment as it put India in the group of select nations having capabilities to develop such critical technologies.

"India has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting flight trial of long range hypersonic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off-the-coast of Odisha," the defence minister said on 'X'.

"This is a historic moment and this significant achievement has put our country in the group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies," he said.

Singh congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the armed forces and the industry for what he described as a "stupendous" achievement.