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India successfully conducted a ground test of a full-scale, actively cooled, long-duration scramjet engine for its hypersonic missile programme on Friday.
“The Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, has achieved a path-breaking milestone in the development of hypersonic missiles,” announced DRDO. The combustor test, carried out at its state-of-the-art Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) Facility, achieved a run time of over 12 minutes.
Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), the Hyderabad based laboratory of the @DRDO_India has achieved a path-breaking milestone in the development of Hypersonic Missiles.
DRDL successfully conducted an extensive long-duration ground test of its Actively Cooled… pic.twitter.com/PTmEX85mmp
— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) January 9, 2026
This achievement builds upon the earlier subscale test conducted on April 25, 2025, for long duration, marking a crucial step forward in hypersonic missiles development. The combustor and test facility were designed and developed by the DRDL and realised by industry partners. “The successful test positions India at the forefront of advanced aerospace capabilities,” DRDO said.
Also Read: India Crosses Key Milestone in Hypersonic Missile Tech with 1,000-Second Scramjet Test
Hypersonic Cruise Missile is capable of exceeding five times the speed of sound (over 6,100 km/hr) for extended periods.
“The remarkable feat is achieved through a cutting-edge air-breathing engine, which utilises supersonic combustion to sustain long-duration flight,” an official statement stated.
The ground tests conducted at the SCPT facility have successfully validated the design of the advanced scramjet combustor and the capabilities of the state-of-the-art test facility, it further added.
Earlier on 22 January 2025, the DRDL successfully conducted a 120-second ground test of an active-cooled scramjet combustor. This achievement marks a crucial step in the country’s efforts to develop next-generation hypersonic missile systems.
Also Read: Hypersonic Technology: DRDO Conducts Scramjet Engine Ground Test
DRDO is developing several advanced hypersonic vehicles, notably the Extended Trajectory Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile under Project Vishnu, which envisions a Mach 8-speed missile with a range of about 1,500 km; the Dhwani hypersonic glide vehicle, which performs unpredictable glides, making interception difficult; and a hypersonic technology demonstrator vehicle.
Significance of Scramjet Technology
The Ministry of Defence described the milestone as critical in advancing India’s indigenous hypersonic capabilities. Hypersonic missiles, which travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5 (over 6,100 km/hr), represent a cutting-edge class of weaponry capable of evading conventional air defence systems and delivering high-speed, precision strikes. Nations like the United States, Russia, China, and India are engaged in an intense race to master this transformative technology.
A Step Towards Hypersonic Dominance
The heart of hypersonic vehicles lies in the scramjet engine—a revolutionary air-breathing propulsion system capable of sustaining combustion at supersonic speeds without relying on moving parts. DRDO’s recent scramjet ground test demonstrated several achievements, including successful ignition and stable combustion under conditions mimicking hypersonic flight.
Igniting a scramjet engine is a highly complex process, often likened to “keeping a candle lit in a hurricane.” DRDL’s scramjet combustor features an innovative flame stabilization technique that maintains a continuous flame within the combustor despite airflows exceeding 1.5 km/s. According to the Ministry statement, this breakthrough is the result of extensive research and testing, supported by advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to predict and optimize performance.
With demonstrated capabilities in scramjet combustion, advanced thermal management, and indigenous fuel development, this breakthrough solidifies India’s position in the global hypersonic technology race. The success underscores DRDO’s expertise and sets the stage for developing operational hypersonic missile systems, enhancing India’s defence preparedness and technological prowess.
Ravi Shankar
Dr Ravi Shankar has over two decades of experience in communications, print journalism, electronic media, documentary film making and new media.
He makes regular appearances on national television news channels as a commentator and analyst on current and political affairs. Apart from being an acknowledged Journalist, he has been a passionate newsroom manager bringing a wide range of journalistic experience from past associations with India’s leading media conglomerates (Times of India group and India Today group) and had led global news-gathering operations at world’s biggest multimedia news agency- ANI-Reuters. He has covered Parliament extensively over the past several years. Widely traveled, he has covered several summits as part of media delegation accompanying the Indian President, Vice President, Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister across Asia, Africa and Europe.
