What are the types of missiles in India?

The types of missiles in India are: Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD)/Interceptor Missiles Cruise Missiles Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles Antitank Missiles Air-to-air missiles AAM Surface-to-surface missiles Surface-To-Air Missiles – SAM

How many missiles of India are there?

There are five types of Indian missiles, air-to-air, air-to-surface, surface-to-air, antiship, and antitank, or assault. Ballistic missiles are often intercontinental, intermediate-range, short-range, and medium-range.

Which is the first Missile of India?

Prithvi was the first Missile of India. The Indian Government founded the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program in 1983 to obtain autonomy in designing and building a wide range of missiles.

Which is the most powerful Missile of India?

Agni-V is India's most potent Missile, a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile developed by DRDO. The Missile is predicted to range around 5,000 to 5,500 kilometers

Who is called the 'Missile Woman of India'?

Tessy Thomas , Director General of Aeronautical Systems and an Indian scientist is the Missile Woman of India. She is the former Director for the Agni-IV Missile project.

Which ballistic missiles does India have?

India has six different types of ballistic missiles; these include Agni-I Agni-II Agni-III Agni-IV Agni-V Agni-P Army's variant of the Prithvi missile family – the Prithvi-I.

Who is the missile man of india?

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam is famous as the missile man of India. He was a remarkable Indian scientist who performed in India’s missile Technology and nuclear weapons agendas.

What is the example of cruise missile of India?

The cruise missiles in India are BrahMos – Supersonic cruise missile BrahMos II – Hypersonic cruise missile Nirbhay – Subsonic cruise missile.

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Missiles of India: Types of Missiles in India List

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

Missiles of India come in diverse classes adapted for multi-purposes. They can be launched as surface-to-air, surface-to-surface and air-to-surface, air-to-air, and anti-satellite weapons missiles. India’s missile strategy serves several purposes in India’s defence strategy. Missiles of India have pushed the country to produce longer-range ballistic missiles and to diversify its delivery platforms above mobile land-based missiles.

In the modern era, India is evolving ship- and sub-launched ballistic missiles and has cooperated with Russia on developing cruise missiles for India to stand as a strong nation. The types of missiles in India have system components like targeting or missile guidance, engine, flight system, and warhead. In this article, read about the types of missiles in India, the missile man of India, the latest Indian missile list, and more.

Table of content

1. Missiles of India
2. Types of Missiles in India: Names and Characteristics
3. Important Missiles of India
4. Key Facts about Missiles of India

Missiles of India

Using missiles for wars was witnessed during the 18th century in India. A rocket or missile is a guided, self-propelled flying weapon usually driven by a warrior jet engine or rocket motor.

There are broadly 7 types of missiles in India.

Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD)/Interceptor Missiles
Air-to-air missiles AAM
Surface-To-Air Missiles – SAM
Surface-to-surface missiles
Anti-Tank Missiles
Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles
Cruise Missiles

Types of Missiles in India: Names and Characteristics

Listed are the Missiles of India which are either used by Indian armed forces or presently at various phases of development:

Air-to-Air Missile of India (AAM)

An air-to-air missile (AAM) is fired from an aeroplane to eliminate another plane. AAMs are powered by one or more rocket engines and are largely solid-fueled or occasionally liquid-fueled.

Name of the Missile	Missile of India	Operative Range	Speed
MICA	Air-to-Air	500 m to 80 km	Mach 4
Novator K-100	Medium Range	300–400 km	Mach 3.3
Astra	Air-to-Air	80-110 km	Mach 4.5 +
Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet	Beyond visual range missile air-to-air missile	350 km	Mach 4.5

Surface-To-Air Missile of India (SAM)

A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also referred to as a surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW) or a ground-to-air missile (GTAM), is a rocket invented to be projected from the ground to eradicate aeroplanes or other projectiles. It is one category of anti-aircraft approach.

Name of the Missile	Missile of India	Operative Range	Speed
Trishul (missile)	Short range surface to air missile	9 km	Mach 1+
VL-SRSAM	Short range surface to air missile	50 km	–
QRSAM	Quick reaction surface to air missile	30 km	–
Maitri (missile)	Quick reaction surface to air missile	30 km	–
XR-SAM	Long range surface to air missile	350 km	–

Barak 8 Missile of India :

Name of the Missile	Missile of India	Operative Range	Speed
MRSAM	Medium range surface to air missile	70 km	Mach 2+
LRSAM	Long range surface to air missile	100 km	Mach 2+

Akash Missile of India:

Name of the Missile	Missile of India	Operative Range	Speed
Akash Mk I	Medium range surface to air missile	30 km	Mach 2.8-3.5
Akash Mk II	Medium range surface to air missile	40 km	Mach 2.8-3.5
Akash-NG	Medium range surface to air missile	70 km	Mach 2.8-3.5

Surface-to-Surface Missile of India

A surface-to-surface missile is launched from the ground to hit the ground or sea targets. It may be fired from hand-held automobiles, ships, or ground structures.

Missile of India	Speed	Operative Range
Agni-I	Mach 7.5	700-1250 km
Agni-II	Mach 12	2,000–3,000 km
Agni-III	5–6 km/s	3,500 km – 5,000 km
Agni-IV	Mach 7	3,000 – 4,000 km
Agni-V	Mach 24	5000 – 8000 Km
Agni-VI	–	12,000 to 16,000 km
Prithvi I	–	150 km
Prithvi II	–	350 km
Dhanush	–	350 – 600 km
Shaurya	–	750 to 1,900 km
Prahaar	–	150 km
Pralay	–	500 km

Cruise Missile of India

A cruise missile is a rocket missile against terrestrial or naval targets that stays in the atmosphere and passes the major part of its aviation path at a roughly consistent speed.

Name of the Missile	Missile of India	Operative Range	Speed
Nirbhay	Subsonic cruise missile	1,000 -1500 km	Mach 0.9
BrahMos-II	Hypersonic cruise missile	600–1,000 km	Mach 8

BrahMos Cruise Missile of India:

Name of the Missile	Missile of India	Operative Range	Speed
BrahMos Block I	Land-attack cruise missile	290 km	Mach 3
BrahMos Block II	Anti-ship cruise missile	290 km	Mach 3
BrahMos Block III	Land-attack cruise missile	290 km	Mach 3
BrahMos ER	Multirole supersonic cruise missile	600 km	Mach 3
BrahMos-A	Anti-ship cruise missile	400 km	Mach 3
Submarine launched BrahMos	Land-attack cruise missile	290 km	Mach 3
BrahMos NG	Multirole supersonic cruise missile	290 km	Mach 3

Ballistic Defence Missile of India

Missile defence is a weapon, system, or technology applied in bombarding missiles’ detection, tracking, interception, and devastation. A missile defence system (MDS) is a mechanism that can detect and then eliminate a missile before it can generate any damage.

Phase I of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme:

Name of the Missile	Type of Missile of India	Operative Range	Speed
Prithvi Defence Vehicle	Exo-atmospheric anti-ballistic missile	2,000 km	–
Advanced Air Defence	Endo-atmospheric anti-ballistic missile	150 km	Mach 4.5
Prithvi Air Defence	Exo-atmospheric anti-ballistic missile	300 km	Mach 5+

Phase II of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defence Programme:

Name of the Missile	Type of Missile of India	Operative Range
AD-1	Anti-ballistic missile	TBA
AD-2	Anti-ballistic missile	TBA
Prithvi Defence Vehicle Mark-II	Exo-atmospheric anti-ballistic missile	–

Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile of India

An SLBM or submarine-launched ballistic missile is a ballistic missile competent of being established from submarines. The latest variants usually supply countless independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs).

Name of the Missile	Operative Range	Speed
Ashwin	150-200km	Mach 4.5
K-4	3,500–5,000 km	–
Sagarika	700 – 1900 Km	–
K-5	6,000 km	–
K-15 (Sagarika)	750 km
K-6	6,000 to 8,000 km

Anti-Tank Missile of India

ATGMs are primarily created to hit and destroy armoured military vehicles laboriously. These are ‘fire-and-forget’ missiles where the operator can retreat right after firing as no more guidance is required.

Nag (missile):

Name of the Missile	Type of Missile of India	Operative Range
MPATGM	Man-portable anti-tank missile	2.5 km
Stand off Anti-Tank missile	Standoff Air-launched ATGM	20 km
HeliNa/Dhruvastra	Air-launched ATGM	10 km
Prospina	Third generation land-attack ATGM	4 km

Amogha missile:

Name of the Missile	Operative Range	Speed
Man portable Amogha	Man-portable anti-tank missile
Air-launched Amogha	Air-launched anti-tank missile
Amogha-1	Second generation anti-tank guided missile	2.8 km

Important Missiles of India

Below are the Missiles of India still under development or being tested for their use in the near future.

Name of the Missile	Missile of India	Operative Range	Warhead
Rudram-1	Anti-radiation	250 km	Conventional
Prithvi Defence Vehicle Mark II	Anti-satellite	1,200 km	Kinetic kill vehicle
NASM-SR	Anti-ship	55+ km	Conventional or nuclear 100 kg
SMART	Anti-submarine	643+ km	Conventional 50 kg

Key Facts about Missiles of India

Tessy Thomas is the Missile Woman of India. She is the General Director of Aeronautical Systems and an Indian scientist and is known to be the one-time Project Director for the Agni-IV missile in DRDO.
In 1983, IGMDP, or the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program, was established.
This program was undertaken with a plan to design five rocket approaches in India – Akash, Prithvi, Trishul, Nag, and Agni.
The first ever developed missile used by the Indian Air Force, Prithvi II, is a single-stage missile that comes under the liquid fuelling type, with a maximum warhead mounting capacity of 500 kg and a range of 250 km.

Important Notes for UPSC
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