Table of Contents
India Showcases Hypersonic Missile on Republic Day
What Is the LR-AShM Hypersonic Missile?
- Missile Name: LR-AShM stands for Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile.
- Developer: It has been developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Main Purpose: The missile is mainly meant to attack enemy warships at sea.
- Naval Use: It is designed especially for use by the Indian Navy.
- Public Display: This is the first time India has openly shown a long-range hypersonic missile.
- Speed Meaning: Hypersonic means the missile travels at a speed more than five times the speed of sound.
Key Features and Technical Capabilities
- High Speed and Trajectory
- Very High Speed: The missile can reach speeds as high as Mach 10 at the start.
- Sustained Speed: During most of its flight, it maintains a speed of about Mach 5.
- Flight Movement: It follows a special curved path instead of a straight line.
- Skipping Motion: The missile moves in and out of the atmosphere while flying.
- Hard to Track: This irregular movement makes it difficult for enemy radars to follow.
- Difficult Intercept: Enemy defence systems find it very hard to stop this missile.
Propulsion and Flight Profile
- Two-Stage System: The missile uses two solid-fuel rocket stages.
- First Boost: The first stage pushes the missile to very high speed after launch.
- Second Push: The second stage increases speed and sends the missile higher.
- Glide Phase: After this, the missile glides through the atmosphere without using fuel.
- Energy Efficient: This glide phase helps the missile travel far at very high speed.
Range and Performance
- Long Distance: The missile can hit targets up to about 1,500 kilometres away.
- Fast Attack: It can reach its maximum range in nearly 15 minutes.
- Wide Coverage: This allows India to strike distant enemy ships quickly.
- Future Versions: More advanced versions are planned with ranges up to 3,500 kilometres.
Stealth and Targeting
- Low Flight Height: The missile flies close to the Earth’s surface.
- Radar Avoidance: Flying low and fast helps it avoid enemy radar systems.
- Sharp Turns: It can change direction during flight to confuse defence systems.
- Indian Technology: It uses sensors and guidance systems made in India.
- High Accuracy: The missile can hit targets very precisely.
- Moving Targets: It is capable of attacking moving enemy ships at sea.
Strategic Importance
Maritime Defence and Deterrence
- Naval Power: The missile greatly increases the strength of India’s naval forces.
- Sea Control: It improves India’s ability to protect the Indian Ocean region.
- Enemy Warning: Acts as a strong warning to enemy naval forces.
- Ship Destruction: Can destroy large enemy warships and aircraft carriers.
Elite Technology Club
- Global Achievement: India joins a small group of countries with hypersonic weapons.
- Advanced Nations: This group includes the USA, Russia, and China.
- Technological Strength: Shows India’s progress in advanced military technology.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat
- Self-Reliance: The missile is fully designed and developed within India.
- Local Production: Reduces the need to buy such weapons from other countries.
- National Pride: Shows India’s growing strength in defence manufacturing.
Development and Testing History
- Multiple Tests: The missile has gone through several successful test flights.
- Test Site: Important tests were conducted from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
- Speed Proof: Tests confirmed the missile’s hypersonic speed.
- Control Check: Manoeuvrability and control were successfully tested.
- Accuracy Verified: Tests showed that the missile can hit targets accurately.
- Production Stage: By late 2025, the missile entered limited production.
Public Display and Parade Showcase
- Republic Day Event: The missile was displayed on Republic Day, January 26, 2026.
- Parade Route: It was shown on Kartavya Path in New Delhi.
- Launch Vehicle: Mounted on a mobile launcher vehicle.
- Public Viewing: Citizens and global audiences saw it for the first time.
- Other Weapons: Displayed along with BrahMos, Akash missile, and artillery systems.
- Main Message: Showed India’s focus on modern and indigenous defence power.
Future Prospects and Ongoing Developments
- Continued Research: DRDO is continuing work on hypersonic technologies.
- Glide Vehicles: New hypersonic glide vehicles are under development.
- Cruise Missiles: Work is ongoing on hypersonic cruise missiles.
- Advanced Engines: Development of scramjet engines is in progress.
- More Uses: Future missiles will be used for both land and sea attacks.
- Stronger Defence: These developments will further strengthen India’s military power.
Important Questions
- What is the LR-AShM hypersonic glide missile and which organisation developed it?
- Why is the LR-AShM missile considered difficult for enemy radar and defence systems to detect and intercept?
- How do the two propulsion stages and glide phase help the LR-AShM missile achieve long range and high speed?
- In what ways does the LR-AShM missile strengthen India’s naval power and maritime security in the Indian Ocean region?
- Why was the public display of the LR-AShM missile on Republic Day important for India’s defence and self-reliance goals?
Conclusion
The public display of the LR-AShM hypersonic glide missile during the 2026 Republic Day Parade is a major step forward for India’s defence capability. With its very high speed, long range, ability to avoid radar, and complete indigenous development, the missile greatly strengthens India’s security at sea. It also shows India’s growing confidence and self-reliance in advanced defence technology, placing the country among the world’s leading military powers.
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