India’s Defence Research and Development (DRDO) has successfully test-fired BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a destroyer in the Arabian Sea.
The missile was launched from Indian Navy’s indigenously built stealth destroyer INS Chennai.
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In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said: “The missile hit the target successfully with pinpoint accuracy after performing high-level and extremely complex manoeuvres.
“BrahMos, as ‘prime strike weapon’, will ensure the warship’s invincibility by engaging naval surface targets at long ranges, thus making the destroyer another lethal platform of Indian Navy.”
Following the testing, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, BrahMos, and Indian Navy for the successful launch.
DRDO chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy noted that the addition of BrahMos missiles will expand the capabilities of Indian Armed Forces.
The BrahMos missile system has been jointly developed by India and Russia and has land, air, and naval variants.
With a range of approximately 290km, the missile has travelled at a top speed of Mach 2.8, nearly three times the speed of sound.
Last month, India tested the extended-range variant of BrahMos missile at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Balasore, in the state of Odisha. The extended variant has a range of 400km.
In recent months, India has ramped up testing of its missile systems amid the ongoing border tensions with China.
The armed forces of the two nuclear-powered countries are engaged in a military faceoff near Ladakh. The two sides held several rounds of talks to deescalate the situation.
Earlier this month, DRDO successfully flight tested Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART), an anti-submarine warfare system.
