DRDO Successfully Conducts Two Pralay Missile Tests off Odisha Coast

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted user trials of India’s first quasi-ballistic missile, Pralay, from the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha. The tests were conducted on 28 and 29 July 2025, which were witnessed by the officers of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force, senior scientists of the DRDO, and others .

The trials conducted on 28 and 29 July 2025 were to test the minimum and maximum range capability of the missile. According to the DRDO, all the objectives of the test were met and the missile performed flawlessly.

The missile system has already been integrated with the Indian Army, and a version is being developed for the Indian Air Force.

Pralay Missile and the Requirement of the Armed Forces 

The government of India sanctioned the Pralay missile project in March 2015 as a tactical missile system for the Indian Armed Forces. 

The missile will replace the Prithvi-I missile and will carry a conventional warhead.

The missile will fulfil the Indian Army’s need for a tactical missile that can hit and destroy the enemy’s radar and communication installations, command and control centres and forward airfields.

The missile will degrade the enemy’s fighting capabilities.

Features of the Pralay missile 

The missile is a canisterised tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile. The missile can be launched from a vehicle, and it is road mobile.

It is a crossover of the exo-atmospheric interceptor missile Prithvi Defence Vehicle and the 'Prahar' tactical missile developed indigenously.

The Prithvi Defence Vehicle has been designed to intercept hostile missiles in the exo-atmosphere region at an altitude above 50 kilometres of Earth’s atmosphere.

The Prahar missile is a short-range, solid propellant, road-mobile ballistic missile designed for tactical strikes against close-range targets up to 150 km.

Quasi Ballistic Missile

The Pralay missile is called a quasi-ballistic missile. 

Like a ballistic missile, it follows a curved trajectory when it is launched. It also has the cruise missile ability to perform mid-air manoeuvres using manoeuvrable re-entry vehicles (MaRV).

Thus, its ability to manoeuvre in mid-flight like Brahmos missiles makes it very difficult for the enemy anti-air defence system to detect and neutralise it.

The Pralay missile, in combination with Brahmos, will be the main tactical weapon for the Indian Armed Forces against Pakistan and China.

Specification of the Pralay Missile 

Class- Short-range surface-to-surface missile 

Range - 150 km to 500 km 

Weight of Missile system-  5 tonnes 

Length -  7.5-11 meters and a diameter of 520 mm,

Propulsion -Two-stage solid propellant and third-stage manoeuvrable re-entry vehicles (MaRV).

Launch- Road and mobile from transporter erector launcher. 

Warhead- conventional with 600-1000 kg weight.

Maximum speed - 6.1 Mach in terminal phase.

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