From the ramparts of Red Fort on Independence Day in 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the ambitious 'Mission Sudarshan Chakra' aimed at protecting critical military and civilian infrastructure in the country. For this, the inspiration was taken from Lord Krishna's 'Sudarshan Chakra', he had said, while adding that India needs the same shield to protect its key infrastructure.
"Every citizen must feel protected," the prime minister had said. "This mission will be research-based and developed entirely with indigenous technology... We cannot afford to be reactive. We must anticipate and prepare."
Thus, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is now working on various projects to strengthen India's air defence system. One of these projects is the Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM), which will be showcased during the Republic Day parade this year.
Salient features of LR-AShM
- It was developed by the DRDO at its Research Centre Imarat (RCI) lab in Hyderabad.
- This missile has a range of 1500 kilometers and can completely destroy enemy ships.
- This missile flies at hypersonic speed.
- It can easily deceive the enemy's radar and destroy warship. Currently, it has a naval version and more its versions will be prepared in the future.
Pralay Missile
Other than the LR-AShM, the DRDO is also working on the Pralay missiles. On December 31, it had announced that it had conducted salvo launch of two Pralay missiles, developed at DRDO's RCI lab in Hyderabad, in quick succession from the same launcher in Odisha.
- The missile has a range from 150 kilometers to 500 kilometers. Though, it can be extended further.
- It can change its course in the air, making it capable of dodging interceptor missiles.
- It is capable of carrying multiple types of warheads against various targets.
Akash Next Generation Missile
The DRDO is also working on the Akash Next Generation missile, whose User Evaluation Trials (UET) was completed last month. The missile had successfully intercepted aerial targets at different range during the trials. Also with Pralay and LR-AShM, it will be game-changer for the Indian air defence system.
Astra Missile
The DRDO has also designed the Astra, which is a Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM). While Astra 1 has a 100 plus kilometres range, the mark 2 and mark 3 will have a range of 200 plus and 340 plus kilometres of range, respectively.
