India moves forward in developing K-6 missile
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and being readied for deployment on the future nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) of the Indian Navy, the K-6 represents not just technological advancement, but a powerful symbol of strategic maturity and self-reliance.
A technological triumph
The K-6 missile is being designed with cutting-edge propulsion and guidance systems that allow it to fly at hypersonic speeds — more than five times the speed of sound — and remain highly manoeuvrable through its flight path.
This gives it not only speed and reach but also the ability to avoid interception from current-generation missile defence systems.
The missile's MIRV capability — which allows it to carry and deploy multiple warheads to separate targets — represents a significant force multiplier.
This technical complexity and precision underscore India's rising stature in the global missile development arena, positioning the country as a leader in high-end aerospace innovation.
Strategic independence and Atmanirbhar Bharat
The K-6 project is yet another shining example of India's resolve to develop indigenous defence capabilities.
As part of the broader 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-Reliant India) initiative, the DRDO and associated institutions have been committed to ensuring that India's most critical defence assets are developed and produced domestically.
From advanced composites for missile airframes to indigenous solid-fuel propulsion technologies, and from indigenous inertial navigation systems to cutting-edge MIRV tech, the K-6 showcases the best of Indian scientific and engineering talent.
Moreover, the missile project has created a ripple effect across India's defence ecosystem, fostering innovation among startups, boosting local manufacturing, and contributing to the growth of a self-sustaining defence-industrial base.
Indian scientists, engineers, and strategists are now working at the frontier of global military technology.
Navy's new era
The development of the K-6 goes hand in hand with India's naval expansion strategy.
With plans underway for constructing the next generation of SSBNs, including those with greater endurance and improved stealth, the K-6 is expected to be the principal strategic weapon aboard these vessels.
This alignment between platform and payload signifies a strategic integration that ensures not just the deployment of high-tech systems but their seamless incorporation into operational doctrine and mission planning.
With the induction of the K-6, the synergy between conventional maritime power and strategic capability will be complete.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
12 hours ago
- Times of Oman
India's edge data centre capacity projected to triple to 200-210 MW by 2027: ICRA
New Delhi: India's edge data centre capacity is expected to expand significantly to 200-210 Megawatt (MW) by 2027 from 60-70 MW in 2024, marking a 3x increase, driven by the proliferation of emerging technologies, according to the rating agency ICRA. Edge data centres are smaller, decentralised facilities located closer to end-users and devices. Unlike traditional data centres, which are typically large and centralised, edge data centres enable real-time data processing with minimal latency. Global data centre capacity (including capacity held by cloud operators) is estimated at around 50 Gigawatts (GW) as of December 2024, of which about 10 per cent is dedicated to edge data centres. The US commands over 44 per cent of worldwide edge data centre capacity, followed by Europe, the Middle East and Africa (the EMEA) region at 32 per cent and Asia Pacific (the APAC) region at 24 per cent. India is a relatively new entrant in the edge data centre market. The current edge data centre capacity as a percentage of India's total data centre capacity stands at around 5 per cent. Further, excluding the edge data centre capacity used for captive purposes by one of the large data centre operators, the current edge data centre capacity as a percentage of total capacity is as low as 1 per cent. Giving more insights, Anupama Reddy, Vice President and Co-Group Head, Corporate Ratings, ICRA, said, "Edge data centres differ from traditional data centres in multiple parameters like size, location, scale, time taken to construct, capex cost per MW, distance from end user, etc." "In the Indian context, traditional data centres and edge data centres are complementary pillars of digital infrastructure. With the expanding cloud ecosystem of India, traditional data centres will keep fuelling mass-scale computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud workloads, and edge data centres will facilitate real-time processing and localised services." Reddy said that traditional and edge data centres are expected to operate in the hub-and-spoke model to enhance efficiencies across sectors such as healthcare, banking, agriculture, Defence, and manufacturing, etc. Despite the promising outlook, some of the key challenges for edge data centres include security vulnerabilities due to remote deployments (majorly in tier II and tier III cities), rapid technological changes that risk obsolescence, a shortage of skilled professionals in remote areas, and interoperability issues with traditional data centres. "The rentals for edge data centres are anticipated to be on the higher side compared to traditional data centres, as they will be catering primarily to retail customers against enterprise/hyperscale customers for traditional data centres. Moreover, the relatively higher capex cost per MW for edge data centre compared to a traditional data centre is expected to be compensated by higher rentals. Established DC players and entities like RailTel, Telcom operators are likely to lead the edge data centre expansion in India," Reddy added.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
India's first hydrogen-powered train coach successfully tested at ICF Chennai: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
New Delhi: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday announced that the Indian Railways has successfully tested the country's First hydrogen-powered coach at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai. According to the minister's social media X post, the country is working on a 1,200 horsepower hydrogen train, which will help India to place itself amongst the leaders in hydrogen-powered train technology. "First Hydrogen powered coach (Driving Power Car) successfully tested at ICF, Chennai. India is developing 1,200 HP Hydrogen train. This will place India among the leaders in Hydrogen powered train technology," Vaishnaw posted on 'X'. In 2023, Vaishnaw informed Rajya Sabha that Indian Railways has envisaged running 35 Hydrogen trains under "Hydrogen for Heritage" at an estimated cost of Rs 80 crore per train and ground infrastructure of Rs 70 crore per route on various heritage and hill routes. Additionally, the Indian Railways has also awarded a pilot project for retrofitment of a Hydrogen Fuel cell on an existing Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) rake along with ground infrastructure at the cost of Rs 111.83 crores, which is planned to be run on the Jind -Sonipat section of Northern Railway. The running cost of a Hydrogen fuel-based train is not established in IR scenario. It is estimated that the initial running cost of the Hydrogen fuel train set will be higher, which will subsequently reduce with an increase in the number of trains. Further, the use of Hydrogen as fuel provides larger benefits in the direction of green transportation technology to support zero carbon emission goals as a clean energy source. Last year, in a significant step towards promoting sustainable transportation solutions, Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas, showcased India's advancements in green hydrogen mobility by demonstrating a hydrogen-fuelled bus powered by India's oil PSU Indian Oil to the Prime Minister of Bhutan, Shri Tshering Tobgay and his delegation.
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
India sends positive signals to China for greater investment in electronic manufacturing
New Delhi: India is signalling greater openness to Chinese investment in electronics manufacturing as bilateral relations show signs of improvement, according to government sources. The shift comes as India seeks to expand its manufacturing capacity in the electronics sector, where China currently dominates with 60% of global production capacity. "Sixty per cent of manufacturing capacity is in China and we want to grow our manufacturing capacity. So some collaboration or some kind of work with China is something we can't avoid," said the government source. "Things are easing between India and China. There are signals," the above-mentioned source said, pointing to the re-opening of tourist visas and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's recent visit to China as evidence of warming ties. Dixon Technologies has been actively pursuing partnerships with multiple Chinese firms. A joint venture with Chinese smartphone maker Vivo is also under development, sources confirmed. Government sources acknowledged ongoing discussions with the Ministry of External Affairs and relevant ministries to resolve industry concerns about Chinese partnerships. "We are raising issues of industry with MEA and respective ministries, hopeful to find a solution," the source said. The government appears to be taking a pragmatic approach to two recent challenges involving Chinese operations in India. Regarding the recall of Chinese workers from Foxconn facilities, sources downplayed the impact on the broader electronics industry. "I think to a large extent, the worker thing doesn't affect all of electronics industry," the source explained, noting that Foxconn employs workers from Taiwan, America and Vietnam in addition to China. On restrictions related to rare earth magnets, government sources expressed confidence that the industry would adapt. Several workarounds are being explored, including importing finished components rather than raw materials, and seeking alternative suppliers or technologies. "There are a number of ways in which you can overcome this," the source said. "The restriction is on importing that material. You make the component, you can import the component as it is. In other cases, you look at alternatives."
