Agni MIRV, TARA and Scramjet: India demonstrates multi-target missile & hypersonic capability in 72 hours

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) achieved a major breakthrough by successfully testing three complex strategic technologies. These included trials of an upgraded Agni missile equipped with multiple independently targeted re-entry vehicle (MIRV) capability, a test of a scramjet combustor essential for future hypersonic missile systems, and the maiden trial of the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (Tara) glide weapon system.

The three milestones, achieved within three days, underline India’s growing mastery in next-generation strategic capabilities involving nuclear deterrence, hypersonic propulsion and precision long-range strike capability. The successful validation of MIRV technology has significantly strengthened India’s strategic deterrence capability at a time when Asia is facing heightened security tensions and geopolitical instability.

All three complex strategic technologies

The sequence began on May 7 with the first flight test of the TARA glide weapon system. The successful trial of TARA, India’s first indigenous modular glide weapon capable of converting conventional unguided warheads into long-range precision-guided weapons, marked an important step in the country’s transition toward stand-off precision warfare.

On May 8, DRDO test-fired an advanced version of the most potent Agni missile of India, built with an MIRV system, from a defence facility off the Odisha coast. The trial showed the operational maturation of technologies, which was first put to trial under 'Mission Divyastra' in March 2024 after India announced its first successful MIRV flight on the Agni-V platform.

While DRDO did not officially identify the missile as the Agni-VI, India’s longest-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Ministry of Defence stated that the successful trial once again showcased the country’s ability to strike multiple strategic targets using a single missile platform.

India achieved another breakthrough in hypersonic propulsion on May 9 with the successful long-duration test of a scramjet combustor at DRDL, Hyderabad. Conducted at the advanced Scramjet Connect Pipe Test facility, the trial sustained supersonic combustion for over 1,200 seconds under extreme conditions. The successful test validated key technologies required for future hypersonic cruise missiles and reusable high-speed aerospace platforms, marking a significant step in India’s pursuit of next-generation strategic and aerospace capabilities.