India successfully tests long-range Hypersonic missiles, that is being looked at as a significant milestone for its defense capabilities. The test, conducted from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, in the Indian state of Odisha, marks a massive milestone in India’s defense technology advancements. The missile, capable of exceeding Mach 5, can carry various payloads over a range of 1,500 km.

India enters the club of the few elite nations, including Russia, and China, that possess hypersonic technology. U.S. is also amid an ambitious program that is developing hypersonic weapons and the capabilities to defend the same as well. The missile’s capability to maneuver mid-flight and escape enemy interception marks its strategic significance & lethality.

Experts have defined this event as a game-changer, bolstering India’s deterrence capabilities and reinforces its defense posture. The successful test is expected to boost India’s defense exports and draw more interest from global defense markets.

The hypersonic missiles test comes amid rising geopolitical tensions and underscores India’s commitment to advancing its defense technology to safeguard national security.

“India has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting flight trial of long-range hypersonic missile, 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”

Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defense, India

Top 5 Facts About Hypersonic Missiles

A Hypersonic Missile is a weapon that can fly beyond Mach 5 at low altitude, typically 200 feet above ground. making it difficult to detect. They cannot be intercepted by any Air defense technology, that are present globally. A delayed detection reduces the available time for air defense weapon & decision makers to such a level that the threat of strike is almost confirmed.

1. Incredible Speed: Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds greater than Mach 5, which is five times the speed of sound, making them extremely difficult to intercept.
2. Advanced Maneuverability: Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles can change their trajectory mid-flight, allowing them to evade defense systems.
3. Global Reach: These missiles can cover vast distances quickly, with some capable of reaching targets over 1,500 km away.
4. Strategic Advantage: Possessing hypersonic technology provides a significant strategic edge, as only a few countries, including the US, Russia, China, and now India, have developed such capabilities.
5. Versatile Payloads: Hypersonic missiles can be equipped with various types of warheads, including conventional, nuclear, and kinetic energy weapons, enhancing their versatility in different combat scenarios.

Scramjet technology is one of the key portions of a hypersonic missile. Unlike the usual subsonic or ramjet engines, a scramjet utilizes an inlet energy in supersonic compressed air before mixing it with hydrogen fuel and enables the engine to achieve Mach 5 speeds and beyond.

The use of hypersonic missiles in the Russia-Ukraine war has caused growing interest among countries to boost their arsenal with hypersonic missile force. China is one of the leaders in the hypersonic technologies and as per reports, has already deployed the DF-17 HGV-armed Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM).

Now, India is in the hypersonic missiles technology club and this advancement will definitely contribute to regional balance of power. This development might push Pakistan to further boost its military cooperation with China or seek foreign technological assistance to counter the perceived imbalance. India’s hypersonic missiles serve as a deterrent against China’s aggressive military presence in contentious regions such as the Indo-Pacific and along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

However, at the same time, this test will help India’s geo-political influence in the global south to be enhanced, enabling India to play a bigger role in regional security & powerful diplomacy, on and above the technological advancement on board.