India has conducted the first successful flight test of the first domestic long-range hypersonic missile.

This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of India on its X account.

“This is a historic moment, and this significant achievement has brought our country into the group of select countries that possess such critical and advanced military technologies,” stated Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.

The flight test took place on November 16, 2024, and the missile was launched from the Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

Details about the missile remain limited. It reportedly has a “long range” and was developed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).

According to available information, the DRDO is currently implementing two projects in the field of hypersonic technology.

The first is the BrahMos-II hypersonic missile, which is being jointly developed by DRDO and the Russian NPO Mashinostroitel. It is stated that this missile will have a range of 1500 kilometers and a speed of Mach 8.

The DRDO is also developing a Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV), an unmanned aircraft equipped with a hypersonic ramjet engine. The first successful flight tests of the HSTDV were conducted in 2020. Then the aircraft was brought to an altitude of 30 km using a solid-fuel upper stage, where it launched its direct-flow engine and was able to make a 20-second flight at a speed of 2 km/s.

It is currently unknown whether the missile tested on November 16 is one of these two projects or a new development based on these projects.

However, attention is drawn to the unconventional shape of the rocket with advanced plumage, with a relatively small rocket diameter.

The published photos and videos do not show any external air intakes for the hypersonic engine, and the rocket’s external outline is not typical of hypersonic gliders. This means that the actual hypersonic vehicle should be inside the rocket and brought out after the rocket reaches a high altitude. However, such a design with simple and advanced plumage significantly reduces the internal payload of the rocket.

In early September, India successfully tested the Agni-4 medium-range missile.