India plans multi-layered conventional missile force spanning short, medium and long ranges

Key facts

• The announcement was made by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at the ANI National Security Summit 2.0 in New Delhi on 30 April 2026.
• Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Samir V Kamat, confirmed that the proposed missile force will include ballistic missiles for short, medium and extended ranges, complemented by cruise missiles and hypersonic systems.
• The Pralay short-range ballistic missile has reached final testing stages and is expected to be operational shortly, according to DRDO.
• India is developing two hypersonic programmes: a glide missile (nearest initial trials) and a cruise missile with a scramjet engine (awaiting formal approval).
• DRDO achieved a milestone by sustaining scramjet propulsion for over 1,000 seconds; converting this technology into an operational missile system would require approximately five years.