THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 5, 2026

In a significant boost to India's indigenous defence capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Thursday successfully flight-tested its quasi-ballistic missile 'Pralay' from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast, with all test objectives being fully achieved.

The missile was flight-tested at around 11:10 am on November 5 as part of user evaluation trials. Data captured by various range instruments deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, confirmed that all the stipulated test objectives had been successfully met.

Indigenously developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories, Pralay represents a significant advancement in India's home-grown missile development programme. Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), one of the Development-cum-Production Partners, has manufactured the missile system.

The successful flight-test was witnessed by senior DRDO officials, representatives of the defence industry and members of the Defence Forces. With the successful completion of the user evaluation trial, the induction of the missile system into the Armed Forces is now imminent.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the Defence Forces and industry partners for the successful demonstration, describing the achievement as an important milestone in strengthening the country's defence preparedness.

He said the missile, equipped with advanced technologies, would further enhance the technological capabilities and operational preparedness of the military to effectively respond to emerging threats.

Defence Secretary and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, and DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh also congratulated all the teams associated with the successful flight-test, acknowledging their efforts in achieving the milestone.

The successful test underscores India's growing indigenous defence research and manufacturing capabilities, while marking another important step towards strengthening the country's self-reliance in advanced missile systems.