Pralay has an aerodynamic trajectory and it flies within atmosphere. The advantage is if a missile is taking an aerodynamic shape, the prediction of the flight path of the missile cannot be done. The battlefield support weapons in tactical scenario will always be conventional

by Dr VK Saraswat

Having assigned Prithvi the role of a strategic weapon known for tactical support, you need another weapon, and hence the development of Pralay by the DRDO.

The concept of an Indian rocket force started with the onset of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) in 1983 under the leadership of our former president, Late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Prior to that, India had almost all the rockets, like grade 122 of Russian origin. So when the IGMDP was started, its mandate was primarily to build indigenous capabilities, to design, develop, manufacture different kinds of missiles. Our intention was to switch over from unguided rockets to missiles. And as a result, five types of missiles were planned to be developed under IGMDP. One of them was Prithvi, the surface to surface missile with a range of 150 kilometres, which was supposed to be a battlefield support weapon for the Indian army.

Why Have A Rocket Force?

When you want to attack targets in depth, say 500 kilometres, you need a weapon to paralyse the adversary’s infrastructure completely. The rocket force is becoming an important part of the battle strategy mainly because now the concept of non-contact warfare is coming. Gone are the days when people go fight with guns and swords Now, you go and paralyse the enemy’s warfighting resources, whether it is an arrow drum or to the ordinance factory, or that ordnance as depot.

Having assigned Prithvi the role of a strategic weapon known for tactical support, you need another weapon, and hence the development of Pralay by the DRDO. But even before Pralay, I remember we made a short-range system called Prahar, which was 200 kilometre range. So you say, Prahar and then Pralay, so Prithvi, Prahaar and Pralay this is the kind of progression that has taken place.

The Pralay Edge

The battlefield support weapons in tactical scenario will always be conventional. That is because nuclear weapons are not used in the tactical battlefield scenario at all. Our nuclear policy is very clear. No first use policy completely eliminates the use of any of the strategic weapons system. As far as the warfare is concerned, unless we are attacked by nuclear weapons.

Whereas Pralay has an aerodynamic trajectory, it flies within that atmosphere. The advantage is that because if a missile is taking an aerodynamic shape, the prediction of the flight path of the missile cannot be done for engaging in missile by another missile, what we call an anti-ballistic missile system.

A Deterrent

There are many lessons which you learn from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. One of the lessons was that we realised that any missile which you are launching against the enemy should have stealth characteristics. That means it should not be detected by the enemy radars and electronic measures.

Thought process behind rocket force.

We have capabilities of different types of threats, whether it is country A or country B or country C. That’s why you have seen ranges going from 150 kilometres to 5,000 plus ranges. We have platforms which can be air launched. We have platforms which can be we have platform here, air base platforms, we have ship based platforms, we have submarine based platform and we have land based platforms. So from any platform, we can launch a missile today. India has coverage for 360 degree as for as adversaries are concerned.

The author is former DG , Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)