The Indian Army is on the verge of a major technological leap with the impending induction of the indigenous Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) system.

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile represents a major stride towards India’s quest for self-reliance in advanced battlefield weaponry. Its operationalisation by 2026 will mark the Army’s transition from ageing imported systems to a modern, fully indigenous third-generation missile.

A Leap Beyond Legacy Systems

The MPATGM introduces fire-and-forget technology, a dramatic advancement over the Army’s existing second-generation MILAN and Konkurs systems. Unlike the older wire-guided models that require operators to maintain visual lock until impact, the new system enables soldiers to fire and immediately relocate. Once launched, the missile’s onboard seeker autonomously tracks and destroys the target.

This development offers a crucial tactical benefit—drastically reduced operator exposure during combat. The system is purpose-built for modern warfare environments where swift response and mobility are vital for soldier survival.

Genesis And Development

The urgent need for a portable, high-precision anti-tank weapon was underscored during the 2020 Galwan border clashes, where the effectiveness of such systems in mountainous terrain became evident. Responding to this, the Ministry of Defence approved the MPATGM project in 2015 with a budget of ₹73.46 crore.

The DRDO’s mission was clear: develop a man-portable derivative of the successful Nag missile family, tailored for infantry, para-special forces, and airborne units. Production responsibilities were entrusted to Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), which set up a dedicated manufacturing facility at Bhanur in Telangana by 2018. Although the COVID-19 pandemic delayed testing, developmental work continued uninterrupted, leading to significant refinements in the system’s seeker and propulsion design.

Lightweight And Soldier-Friendly Design

A key strength of the MPATGM lies in its compact design. The total system weight of under 30 kilograms ensures mobility and ease of deployment even in difficult terrains. The missile itself weighs 14.5 kg, while the Command Launch Unit (CLU) with tripod adds another 14.25 kg, making it operable by a two-member team.

Its operational envelope ranges from a minimum engagement distance of 200 metres to a maximum of 4,000 metres. This wide range allows troops to neutralise enemy armour both in open areas like deserts and in urban or mountainous surroundings.

Tandem Warhead Lethality

The missile employs a tandem High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) warhead capable of defeating composite and explosive reactive armour (ERA). The first precursor charge neutralises the ERA layer, paving the way for the main charge to penetrate over 650 millimetres of rolled homogeneous armour. This destructive sequence provides the MPATGM with the required lethality to neutralise modern main battle tanks.

Cutting-Edge Seeker And Attack Modes

The Imaging Infrared (IIR) seeker represents the pinnacle of DRDO’s indigenous sensor technology. It locks on to the heat signature of enemy vehicles, providing high accuracy even under degraded visibility.

The missile supports two attack profiles—direct and top attack. In direct mode, it approaches the target horizontally, ideal for side and rear engagements. In top attack mode, the missile ascends before diving steeply onto the target’s turret or engine deck—the most vulnerable positions on a tank. This feature aligns the MPATGM’s performance class with that of global systems such as the US-made FGM-148 Javelin and Israel’s Spike-LR, though with over 90 percent indigenous content.

The Trial And Validation Process

Between 2018 and 2019, DRDO carried out the first series of flight tests in Rajasthan, validating the missile’s design and guidance system. Post-pandemic trials undertaken in 2021-2022 confirmed operational reliability across the entire flight envelope, demonstrating improved miniaturised seeker performance.

The most decisive breakthrough occurred during a rigorous trial campaign at Pokhran in August 2024. Here, extensive field tests proved the missile’s tandem warhead effectiveness and precision-guided strike capability under realistic combat conditions.

These evaluations surpassed Defence Ministry benchmarks, instilling confidence among Army evaluators, who commended its suitability for high-altitude and close-quarter battle zones.

Path To Induction

Final user evaluations scheduled in 2026 will examine the missile’s reliability under extreme cold in Ladakh and its adaptability in dense urban environments. Once these tests conclude, BDL and private partner VEM Technologies will begin full-scale manufacturing.

Initial serial production is expected by late 2026, with the first deliveries projected for 2027. With this, the MPATGM will begin phasing out imported Spike systems temporarily procured to meet immediate operational needs.

Significance For Self-Reliance

The MPATGM’s induction marks more than a hardware upgrade—it is a symbol of India’s maturing defence industrial capacity. The missile demonstrates the ability of Indian R&D institutions to deliver world-class precision-guided weaponry while keeping costs under national control.

For frontline infantrymen, the MPATGM will provide a lightweight, intuitive, and highly lethal instrument of defence. For the nation, it signals the tangible success of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in strategic technologies.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)