The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) have successfully conducted flight-tests of the indigenous RudraM-II air-to-surface missile, marking a significant milestone in India’s efforts to strengthen its precision strike capabilities and advance self-reliance in defence technology.

According to the Defence Ministry, the missile was test-fired from an airborne platform under extreme release conditions, with the trials designed to validate the performance of all critical subsystems and flight parameters.

According to officials, the missile successfully established the intended trajectory after launch and accurately engaged a predefined target.

Pinpoint accuracy

The missile demonstrated pinpoint accuracy during the tests, successfully meeting all mission objectives. Data captured through a network of tracking and monitoring instruments deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, confirmed the missile’s performance and the success of the trials.

RudraM-II has been developed indigenously by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, the nodal DRDO laboratory for the programme, in collaboration with several other DRDO establishments, including Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), and ITR.

The development programme also received significant support from Development-cum-Production Partners (DcPPs), along with agencies such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness (RCMA), Missile System Quality Assurance Agency (MSQAA), and a number of Indian defence industries.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, the IAF, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), industry partners and all stakeholders involved in the programme. He said the successful tests reflect the growing maturity of indigenous defence technologies and represent a major step towards achieving Aatmanirbharta in advanced weapon systems.

The Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO, also commended the teams associated with the project, describing the successful trials as a notable achievement for India’s missile development programme.