Overview
- DRDO conducted three consecutive flight tests on June 10 and 11 that the ministry says demonstrated a multi‑layer Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) architecture with interceptors engaging and destroying their assigned targets.
- The trials included both endo‑atmospheric and exo‑atmospheric interceptions and the maiden flight of the Naval Anti‑Ship Missile–Medium Range (NASM‑MR), which met its mission objectives.
- Government statements describe the outcome as placing India among a small group of countries with BMD capability able to engage long‑range threats up to the intercontinental class, a claim the ministry publicly made after the tests.
- One report citing unnamed government sources says the two interceptors tested are designed to counter intermediate‑range missiles with ranges of about 2,000–5,000 km, a detail not fully disclosed in official technical releases.
- Senior DRDO and armed‑forces officials monitored the missions, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the teams, and DRDO says Phase‑III work has already begun to address hypersonic glide vehicles and MIRV threats while user trials and production planning move forward.