Latest news with #DefendingBharat
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First Post
17-05-2025
- Business
- First Post
Hypersonic missile system coming soon after successful trials, reveals ex-DRDO chief
India is close to reaching a significant defence achievement with the introduction of a homegrown hypersonic missile that can travel at Mach 5, according to Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra, a veteran Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist. Speaking during the Powering Bharat Summit, held by Network18 in partnership with Moneycontrol, News18 India, and CNBC Awaaz, the former DRDO chief on Friday (May 16) said that DRDO has recently completed successful tests for a hypersonic engine and is now preparing to launch the missile system. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Mishra, who previously served as DRDO DG and as MD & CEO of BrahMos Aerospace, currently holds the DRDO chair. 'Two-three weeks back, we tested a hypersonic engine. Soon, we will come out with a hypersonic missile that will reach Mach 5 speed. All the technologies for BrahMos were developed in-house by DRDO, we even built the world's largest launcher ourselves,' Mishra said, adding that when other nations compare missile systems and choose to induct India's, 'it means ours is the best.' Participating in a panel titled Defending Bharat: Indian Drones, Missiles, Defence Tech, Mishra spoke alongside experts in the drone and defence technology fields. Lt Gen (Dr) Inderjit Singh, Strategic Advisor at ideaForge Technology, said India has been proactive about drone technology for over a decade. 'Today, we are the biggest company in ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) technologies. The Ministry of Defence is significantly scaling up efforts to acquire cutting-edge technologies,' he mentioned. He referred to BrahMos as a 'very potent universal weapon' that delivers a strong impact, making it almost impossible to intercept. He stressed the system's reliability, noting that over 130 tests have consistently shown improvements. Highlighting quality over cost, Mishra said DRDO prefers the best technical offer (T1) over the lowest bidder (L1) to ensure top performance. Smit Shah, President of the Drone Federation of India, highlighted how policy reforms catalysed the sector's growth. 'In 2021, we introduced the drone policy, which, though framed for civilian use, unlocked opportunities for private players to develop drone technologies. The aim was to create indigenous intellectual property,' Shah said. Mishra also highlighted the long development time for defence technology, advising investors not to expect quick returns within 2–3 years. 'Real defense R&D takes at least a decade,' he said. Addressing the fragmented defence manufacturing sector, he called for better consolidation: 'If there are 3,000 companies in every vertical, it's tough for buyers to support them. Why don't you group them?' On the drone sector, he predicted: 'Today, there are 400 drone companies. I'm telling you, not more than 20 will survive.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
News18
17-05-2025
- Business
- News18
From Budget Drones To Hypersonic Missiles: India's Defence Sector Enters A New Era
Last Updated: India is soon to get an indigenous hypersonic missile that can fly at a speed of Mach 5. This will mark a significant boost in Indian defence sector. Army drones that can hit the target are available in India for just Rs 1 lakh, said Major General Ramesh Chandra Padhi (retd), Senior Vice President of IG Drones, at the Network18 Powering Bharat Summit. His remarks are notable as they challenge the conventional belief that defence technologies are expensive. Speaking at the Defending Bharat panel at the summit, Padhi spoke about FPV Kamikaze — small drones with the capacity to fly at 140 km/hr before hitting the target. 'We have got very small drones, FPV Kamikaze, where you see your target, the speed goes up to 140 km/hr and then it drops directly and hits the target," he said. Padhi's remarks also indicate that made-in-India defence technologies can be more affordable. IG Drones recently gained significant attention after being listed in a government release as one of the four drone companies involved in Operation Sindoor. India carried out the operation in response to the 22 April Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives. During the attack, India targeted nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In another significant development in the defence sector, India is soon to get an indigenous hypersonic missile that can fly at a speed of Mach 5, marking a major achievement in the defence sector, informed Dr Sudhir Kumar Mishra, veteran DRDO scientist, who was speaking at the Powering Bharat Summit. In conversation with Moneycontrol's Managing Editor Nalin Mehta, the ex-DRDO chief said that DRDO recently conducted a hypersonic engine test, and soon it will come out with a hypersonic missile that will reach Mach 5 speed. 'All the technologies for BrahMos were developed in-house by DRDO. We even built the world's largest launcher ourselves," Mishra said. First Published: May 17, 2025, 08:37 IST
