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In a significant step for India’s naval strike capability, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy have successfully conducted the maiden salvo launch of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Short Range (NASM-SR) from a helicopter platform.
The trial was carried out off the Odisha coast in the Bay of Bengal, where two missiles were fired in quick succession from the same helicopter, marking the first time an indigenous air-launched anti-ship missile system has demonstrated such a salvo capability.
According to officials, all mission objectives were met. Tracking data captured by instruments at the Integrated Test Range, including radar, telemetry and electro-optical systems, confirmed the missile’s performance. Notably, the weapon also demonstrated its ability to strike targets at the waterline, a critical requirement for disabling enemy vessels.
Senior DRDO scientists, along with representatives from the Navy and the Indian Air Force, witnessed the trials, alongside industry partners involved in the programme.
The NASM-SR is powered by a solid-fuel booster and a long-burn sustainer engine. It incorporates a suite of indigenous technologies, including an advanced seeker, fibre-optic gyroscope-based inertial navigation system, radio altimeter, and a high-bandwidth two-way data link. The missile also features a jet-vane control system and advanced guidance algorithms designed to enhance accuracy and manoeuvrability.
The system has been developed by Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories, including the Defence Research and Development Laboratory, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, and Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, with testing support from ITR Chandipur.
Production of the missile is underway through development-cum-production partners, with participation from domestic industry and start-ups, underscoring the push for indigenous defence manufacturing.
The @DRDO_India & Indian Navy successfully jointly conducted the maiden Salvo launch of Naval Anti-ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR) from Indian Navy’s helicopter platform, off the coast of Bay of Bengal in Odisha.
Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh complimented DRDO, Indian… pic.twitter.com/oPmiyAOZlG
— रक्षा मंत्री कार्यालय/ RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) April 29, 2026
Team BharatShakti
