Army carries out successful user trial of medium range SAM missile

The Eastern and the Southern commands of the Indian Army, under the supervision of the Defence and Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), successfully conducted four user trials of the medium-range surface-to-air missile (MRSAM) ballistic missile system.. The missile has been developed jointly by India and Israel for the use of the Indian Armed Forces.

The test was conducted on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on April 3 and 4, 2025.

According to the DRDO, with the successful user trial of the MR-SAM system, the missile system is ready to be inducted into the Eastern and Southern Command of the Indian Army.

The missile has already been inducted into the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.

Development of the MR-SAM Missile System 

The medium-range surface-to-air missile system has been developed jointly by DRDO and the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The MR-SAM system is an extension of the LR SAM (long-range surface-to-air missile system) developed by the DRDO and the IAI jointly for the Indian Navy. 

The LRSAM system is based on the Barak-8 missile platform developed by the IAI. It is basically for the Naval forces and is an anti-ship missile.

The MR-SAM is a land-based missile platform variant of the LR-SAM  that has been designed to neutralise any type of airborne threat, including combat jets, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs, as well as ballistic missiles, cruise missiles.

The MR SAM is being developed for the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force.

The first test of the MR-SAM took place on 30 June 2016.

Specification of Missile 

It is a ballistic missile that is designed against air-based threats.

The Missile has a range of 70 km.

It can engage multiple targets.

The length of the missile is 4.5 meters, and it weighs 275 kg.

The missile can be launched from the ship or the land.

Manufacturer of the Missile 

The MR SAM missile is being manufactured by the government of India's defence company, Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), based in Hyderabad.

The  BDL has set up a new production facility in Hyderabad to manufacture both MRSAM and LR SAM missiles. The facility can produce 100 missiles a year.

The IAI and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) have set up a joint venture named  BEL IAI Aerosystems Private Limited with its headquarters in New Delhi.

The company will provide service support to the Indian Armed Forces for the MR-SAM system.

Deployment of the MR-SAM Missile system

The MR-SAM  was handed over to the Indian Air Force in September 2021. It was deployed at the Jaisalmer-based 2204 Squadron of the Indian Air Force.

The Indian Army raised its first MR-SAM regiment named ‘Abhra’ in the 33 Corps deployed in the Eastern theater facing China, near the Siliguri corridor, also known as the chicken neck area.

In January this year, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 2.960 crore contract with BDL to supply MR-SAM for the Indian Navy. It will be deployed on the majority of the Indian Navy’s ships.