Indian Private-Made Short-Range Missile: An Indian-made short-range missile has successfully completed its second flight test off the Odisha coast. The missile has been developed by a private Indian company and is designed to hit targets on land from a ground-based launch system.
The latest test took place on Thursday afternoon, November 12, at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur. It came just days after the missile’s first experimental launch on November 3. Both launches are part of an ongoing testing programme to check how well the missile works and whether it can perform reliably.
According to initial reports, the second flight also met all its planned targets. The successful launch has given engineers more information about the missile’s performance and its different systems.
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DRDO Provides Support During Missile Trials
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provided technical and other support during the latest test. Its Integrated Test Range at Chandipur has special equipment to follow missile flights and record important information.
Tracking radars, electro-optical systems and telemetry instruments help experts watch the missile’s movement and collect flight data. Engineers can study this information after the launch to find out whether the missile followed its planned path and performed as expected.
Safety arrangements were also made before the launch. Civil aviation authorities issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) to keep aircraft away from the test area over the Bay of Bengal. The marked safety zone extended up to 80 kilometres to prevent civilian flights from entering the missile’s test path.
The data collected from both flights will help engineers improve the missile’s control, navigation and guidance systems. More testing will be needed before the weapon can move towards later stages of development.
Private Companies Take a Bigger Role in Defence
The missile’s development is another example of growing private-sector participation in India’s defence industry. Earlier, government organisations such as DRDO had the main responsibility for developing advanced missile systems. Private companies are now getting more opportunities to take part in this work.
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The Ministry of Defence has introduced several steps to support this change. One such programme is Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), launched in 2018. It supports startups, small businesses and other innovators working on new defence technologies.
