The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday successfully conducted a salvo launch of two Pralay missiles in quick succession from the same launcher off the coast of Odisha, marking a major milestone in user evaluation trials of the indigenously developed missile system.
The flight-tests were carried out at around 10:30 am on December 31, 2025, with both missiles launched from a land-based mobile launcher. According to officials, both Pralay missiles followed the intended trajectory and met all flight objectives, validating the system’s reliability and operational readiness.
The launches were closely tracked by sensors deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, while terminal events were confirmed through telemetry systems installed onboard ships positioned near the designated impact points.
About the Pralay Missile
Pralay is an indigenously developed solid-propellant quasi-ballistic missile, designed for high-precision conventional strike roles. Equipped with state-of-the-art guidance and navigation systems, the missile is capable of delivering multiple types of warheads against a variety of strategic and tactical targets with high accuracy.
The successful salvo launch demonstrates the missile’s ability to perform rapid successive launches, a critical capability in modern battlefield scenarios requiring saturation strikes and swift response.
Collaborative Development Effort
The missile has been developed by Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, in collaboration with multiple DRDO laboratories, including:
- Defence Research and Development Laboratory
- Advanced Systems Laboratory
- Armament Research and Development Establishment
- High Energy Materials Research Laboratory
- Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory
- Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory
- Research and Development Establishment Engineers
- Integrated Test Range
The system integration for the trials was undertaken by the Development-cum-Production Partners Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
The tests were witnessed by senior DRDO scientists, representatives from the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, as well as industry partners.
Leadership Reactions
Rajnath Singh, Raksha Mantri, congratulated DRDO, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force, Defence Public Sector Undertakings, and Indian industry for the successful salvo launch, stating that it firmly establishes the reliability of the Pralay missile system.
Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, also lauded the teams involved, noting that the successful trials indicate the system’s imminent readiness for induction into the Armed Forces.
Strategic Significance
The successful salvo launch of Pralay reinforces India’s conventional precision-strike capability and underscores the country’s growing technological maturity in missile systems. The achievement marks a decisive step towards the missile’s operational deployment, strengthening India’s deterrence posture and advancing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing.
