India Test-Fires First-Ever Hypersonic Missile, What Next?

Published On: November 18, 2024 - India has just test-fired its first-ever hypersonic missile. A hypersonic missile is a weapon traveling at speeds of over Mach 5. This weapon will allow India to target warships and enemy positions from 1,500 kilometres away. The test was, in fact, another missile milestone this year—there have been a series of missiles—first of the long-range land attack cruise missile, the extended range 'Pinaka' rocket, and the air-launched 'Brahmos'. These are huge achievements for our tactical deterrence capability—the ability to deter an adversary from launching an attack. Prototypes of the kind that India has tested are huge milestones—but until these prototypes enter mass production and are inducted into the services in large numbers—they are meaningless for India’s defence. Join News9 Plus Editor Sandeep Unnithan as he discusses the next steps in the missile journey with colleague Deepak Bhadana; Rahul Chaudhary, former CEO, Tata Power SED; and Air Vice Marshal (Retd) PK Srivastava, only on the News9 Plus Show.