India has issued a new Notices To Airmen (NOTAM) and maritime safety notifications establishing an extended danger zone over the Bay of Bengal, with a maximum range stretching to approximately 2,520 km. The test window, active between 15 and 17 October 2025, signals potential preparations for a forthcoming long-range missile evaluation. This notification, encompassing a broader-than-usual exclusion area, has drawn attention from regional and strategic observers monitoring India’s routine and developmental missile trials.

The coordinates and dimensions of the designated corridor match those typically used for full-range tests of India’s strategic missile arsenal. Such distances are consistent with evaluations of systems in the Agni class or long-range cruise or hypersonic vehicles under developmental testing by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The range extension beyond 2,000 km notably suggests either validation of improved re-entry vehicle performance, enhanced guidance accuracy, or a trial of new propulsion stages.

Courtesy: Damien Symon      

Observers note that India frequently issues these pre-launch notifications to ensure airspace and maritime safety, in accordance with international regulations. These alerts are standard practice before testing strategic systems and are often linked with DRDO’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC) exercises or validation flights of missiles nearing operational induction. Sources within defence analytical circles have suggested that the timings coincide with DRDO’s projected full-range validation tests for Agni‑5 MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle) variants or possible trials of Agni Prime, the newer medium- to intermediate-range platform.

The location of launch and impact zones, when mapped against recent NOTAM patterns, points to a likely test originating from either Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha or from its associated test range infrastructure. The extended impact area deep into the central Bay of Bengal aligns with trajectories used during strategic-stage verification missions, where telemetry and tracking data are collected through a network of naval and aircraft-based surveillance systems.

Additionally, these test notifications come amid a series of technological milestones achieved by India’s missile development programs through 2024 and 2025. This includes ongoing validation of MIRV technology, advances in re-entry shielding, and solid-fuel propulsion systems optimised for quick launch capabilities. The upcoming test may therefore serve both as a demonstration of operational readiness and as a data-acquisition exercise for upcoming strategic deterrence deployments.

If conducted as scheduled, the October test could reaffirm India’s steady progress toward enhancing the reliability and precision of its long-range deterrence systems. Defence analysts will closely monitor telemetry data release patterns, government statements, and subsequent NOTAM withdrawals to determine the nature and success of the upcoming launch and its implications for India’s evolving strategic posture in the Indo-Pacific region.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)