India’s First Long-Range Hypersonic Missile Test Successful
Deccan ChronicleNew Delhi: India achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting its first trial of a long-range hypersonic missile, marking a significant advancement in the country’s defence capabilities. Defence minister Rajnath Singh lauded the achievement, describing it as a "historic moment" and a "stupendous" accomplishment under the nation’s first long-range hypersonic mission. "This significant achievement has placed India among the select nations possessing such critical and advanced military technologies," Singh wrote on X. Hypersonic weapons, which fly at speeds of at least Mach 5, possess the ability to execute vertical and horizontal manoeuvres while travelling at high speed within the Earth's atmosphere. In 2021, defence minister Rajnath Singh emphasised the importance of hypersonic cruise missile development to maintain credible deterrence against evolving threats.