On July 28 and 29, 2025, the Defense Research & Development Organization (DRDO) successfully conducted two consecutive flight tests of the indigenously developed “Pralay” missile. These User Evaluation Trials verified the missile system’s maximum and minimum range capabilities.
Capabilities of the Range
The Pralay missile is capable of conducting a wide range of tactical battlefield operations, with an operational range ranging from 150 km (minimum) to 500 km (maximum). The recent successful tests affirmed the minimum and maximum range capabilities.
Development and Features of Missiles
Pralay is a quasi-ballistic missile that uses sophisticated guidance and navigation systems to achieve high precision and is powered by solid propellant. It has been developed by Research Centre Imarat in collaboration with various DRDO labs and industry partners, including Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited, and is capable of carrying various warheads against a variety of targets.
History of Development and Testing
On December 22, 2021, Pralay conducted its inaugural test from Abdul Kalam Island, marking its introduction to the public. Since then, the missile has undergone at least five significant publicly reported tests that have served to illustrate its capabilities and advancements. The missile’s operational range of 400 km was successfully demonstrated during its maiden test on December 22, 2021, signifying a significant milestone in its development. This was promptly succeeded by a subsequent test on December 23, 2021, which verified the missile’s capacity to transport a heavier payload and confirmed its maximum range of 500 km. Pralay successfully completed all mission objectives during the third known test on November 7, 2023, demonstrating its reliability and enhancements. These tests were essential in verifying the missile system’s minimum and maximum range performance. The most recent two User Evaluation Trials were conducted on July 28 and 29, 2025. In January 2025, the Pralay missile made its inaugural appearance in the Republic Day Parade, which increased its public visibility and underscored its increasing significance in India’s defense arsenal, in addition to these preliminary tests.
Orders and Procurement
The procurement process for Pralay commenced on December 25, 2022, when the Ministry of Defence approved the first significant purchase order. This initial order involved the acquisition of 120 missile units for the Indian Air Force, which suggested confidence in the missile’s operational efficacy and readiness for deployment. Subsequently, two additional orders were reported to be in advanced stages during April 2023, totaling 250 Pralay missiles with an estimated value of ₹7,500 crore. This indicates a growing fleet and sustained confidence. In September 2023, the Indian Army also participated in the procurement process by approving the first regiment order for Pralay. The significance of the missile system in the modernization plans of India’s armed forces is collectively underscored by these orders, which represent a substantial stride toward its large-scale induction.
Deployment Schedule
Pralay is designed to be implemented in both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, thereby improving the combined tactical strike capabilities of both services. Pralay regiments are strategically stationed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan as part of the Army’s deployment strategy. The purpose of this positioning is to employ Pralay as a tactical surface-to-surface missile system that functions as a robust conventional deterrent against prospective adversaries. In addition, Pralay will be incorporated into India’s future Integrated Rocket Force, which is intended to serve as a unified command structure for numerous missile systems, including BrahMos and Pinaka. This integration will enable the missile system to effectively contribute to India’s defense posture in multiple theaters by facilitating streamlined coordination, quicker response times, and enhanced lethality on the battlefield.
Bases in Pakistan and China are at risk
Chinese Bases at Risk
India now can target numerous significant Chinese military installations in Tibet and contiguous border regions as a result of Pralay’s deployment along the LAC. These installations, which encompass critical airbases, radar stations, and command posts, are vital to China’s tactical support and operational readiness. Ngari Gunsa Airbase and Shigatse Airport, both situated in Tibet, are among the notable military bases that are believed to be within Pralay’s operational envelope, although specific names and locations are frequently classified. The Chinese military uses these bases as logistical hubs and forward deployment sites. Pralay’s precision strike capability presents a substantial strategic threat to them, thereby assisting India in maintaining a credible deterrent against Chinese forces in the vicinity of the border.
Pakistani Bases At Risk
The Pralay missile is strategically placed along the Line of Control (LoC) to threaten critical Pakistani forward operating bases, missile storage and launch installations, and command centers, particularly in areas such as Azad Kashmir and northern parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. In the same vein, Pakistani bases are at risk. The Muzaffarabad and Rawalakot airbases are critical to Pakistan’s military operations in these volatile areas and are among the main bases within the missile’s target range. India can execute precise assaults on these strategic assets if required due to the missile’s accuracy and range capability. This threat also encompasses numerous missile sites that Pakistan maintains in close proximity to the frontier, which allows India to present a formidable conventional challenge to Pakistan’s military infrastructure through Pralay.
Strategic Significance
The Pralay missile’s deployment in India enhances the country’s ability to conduct rapid, conventional assaults below the nuclear threshold, thereby complementing its current defense strategies. Pralay enhances India’s tactical deterrence by placing critical adversary assets, such as command and control facilities and missile launch sites, at risk. It facilitates swift and adaptable responses to emergent threats along both contentious borders. Additionally, its integration into a broader missile ecosystem fortifies India’s conventional military posture and serves to counterbalance the expanding missile capabilities of China and Pakistan.
The tests are observed by dignitaries
Senior DRDO scientists, representatives of the Indian Air Force and Army, and industry officials observed the flight tests.
Official Statements
Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh commended the teams, asserting that the Pralay missile, which is equipped with contemporary technologies, will substantially improve the Armed Forces’ ability to combat emergent threats.
The Pralay missile system is on course for induction into the Armed Forces in the near future, as DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat emphasized, following the successful phase-1 flight tests.
Background
The Pralay missile project is a significant advancement in India’s self-reliance in tactical missile technology and enhances the military’s conventional strike capability by virtue of its operational flexibility and versatile range.