In a significant boost to India’s indigenous precision-strike capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), in collaboration with the Indian Air Force (IAF), has successfully carried out flight tests of the RudraM-II air-to-surface missile from an airborne platform.
The missile was tested under extreme release conditions, validating the performance and reliability of its critical subsystems. Following launch, the missile accurately navigated towards its designated target, demonstrating pinpoint strike capability and meeting all mission objectives.
According to officials, flight data collected through an extensive network of tracking and monitoring instruments deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur confirmed the missile’s successful performance throughout the engagement envelope.
RudraM-II has been indigenously developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, which served as the nodal laboratory for the programme. The project was executed in collaboration with several DRDO laboratories, including the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), and ITR.
The missile’s development also witnessed substantial contributions from Development-cum-Production Partners (DcPPs), along with key defence agencies and industry stakeholders such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness (RCMA), and the Missile System Quality Assurance Agency (MSQAA).
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the IAF, defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs), industry partners, and all teams associated with the programme. He stated that the successful trials reflect the growing maturity of India’s indigenous defence technologies and represent a major step towards achieving self-reliance in advanced weapon systems under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Dr. Samir V. Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO, also commended the scientists, engineers, and test teams for the successful accomplishment, describing the achievement as another milestone in strengthening India’s indigenous missile development capabilities.
