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The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) have successfully conducted flight tests of the indigenous RudraM-II air-to-surface missile, marking another milestone in India’s efforts to strengthen its precision-strike capabilities with homegrown weapon systems.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the missile was launched from an airborne platform under extreme release conditions, validating the performance of its critical subsystems and flight profile.
The missile successfully navigated to a pre-designated target and achieved a direct hit with pinpoint accuracy. Officials said all mission objectives were achieved, with performance data recorded and verified through a network of tracking and monitoring systems deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
The RudraM-II missile has been developed indigenously by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, the lead DRDO laboratory for the project. Several other DRDO establishments, including the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), and ITR, contributed to the programme.
The development effort also involved a broad ecosystem of public and private sector partners. Among the key contributors were Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Regional Centre for Military Airworthiness (RCMA), the Missile System Quality Assurance Agency, and various Development-cum-Production Partners (DcPPs) and industry collaborators.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, IAF, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), industry partners and all personnel associated with the programme.
“The successful flight-tests demonstrate the growing maturity of indigenous defence technologies and represent a significant step towards Aatmanirbharta in advanced weapon systems,” Singh said.
The successful validation of the RudraM-II is expected to strengthen the IAF’s stand-off strike capability by providing a domestically developed precision-guided weapon capable of engaging high-value ground targets. The missile is part of India’s broader effort to expand its inventory of indigenous air-launched weapons and reduce dependence on foreign systems.
The latest trials come amid a sustained push by the government and the armed forces to accelerate the development and induction of advanced indigenous missile systems across all three services.
Team BharatShakti
