India plans to develop hypersonic cruise missiles with a maximum speed of 6,000km/h to increase its aerial fast strike capability.

The hypersonic cruise missile will be developed on the basis of the existing BrahMos supersonic cruise missile version with technical support from Russia.

Russia will offer technical support under an agreement to be signed in December 2010, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The cruise missile will be designed with a range of about 300km and will have high target penetration capability.

Although the US and Russia are currently the only countries developing hypersonic cruise missiles, the Indian Navy expects to arm its stealth destroyers with the missiles by 2016.