Diya Ashtakala
On November 16, India announced the successful test launch of its first long-range hypersonic missile. The missile, developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), was intended to carry “various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500 kms for the Armed Forces.” The test makes it one of the few nuclear-armed countries to develop these missiles, including the United States, China, Russia, and North Korea. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on X (formerly Twitter) termed it a “historic moment” for India, putting in a “group of select nations having capabilities of such critical and advanced military technologies.” The missile test occurred only days after China showcased a new hypersonic glide vehicle, the GDF-600, at its flagship Zhuhai air show.
India’s test highlights the intensifying global race for hypersonic, including India’s growing maturity in developing hypersonic systems, which it has invested in since the 2000s. It warrants further analysis of what this means for regional stability, particularly India’s precarious relationships with China and Pakistan. Recent developments also indicate bilateral and regional approaches for the next U.S. administration to consider in an intensifying global race for hypersonic weapons.
Q1: Why is India testing its hypersonic missile now?
A1: The recent test represents a public culmination of India’s multi-decade research into hypersonic systems. India’s hypersonic ambitions began far before 2007 when it first took delivery of its BrahMos missile, a joint venture with Russia. In 2004, India first publicized its indigenous development of the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle, demonstrating its scramjet engine in a 2020 flight test.
The timing of India’s test comes alongside rapid developments in the global hypersonic arsenals. The test occurred days after China showcased the GDF-600. India finds itself in a global environment marked by rapid developments in the hypersonic space. Most recently, the United States tested its hypersonic missile in the Pacific as part of its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon program. Over the past year, Russia loaded its Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with nuclear-capable Avangard HGV and was alleged to have used its Zicron hypersonic missile in its ongoing war in Ukraine. North Korean state media reported a test of the Hwasong 16B hypersonic missile, described by President Kim Jong Un as a “key piece of the nuclear deterrent.”
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