In December 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) achieved a milestone with the maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket.

This success has thrust the system into the spotlight, drawing comparisons to the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which proved pivotal in the four-day conflict with Pakistan in May 2025. That engagement saw BrahMos compel a ceasefire, underscoring the value of precision strikes in modern warfare, as reported by TOI, Zee news media web portals.

Developed through a pioneering public-private partnership between DRDO and TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Pinaka marks India's first such collaboration in defence systems. The Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) excels at delivering a high volume of fire in mere minutes, saturating critical and sensitive area targets with devastating effect.

Often dubbed the 'baby BrahMos', Pinaka has evolved from a rudimentary area-saturation rocket into a precision-guided powerhouse. While it falls short of BrahMos in range and speed, its accuracy and destructive potential rival the cruise missile's impact on the battlefield.

This nickname is no mere marketing ploy; it signals a doctrinal evolution in Indian military strategy. General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff, recently highlighted the need for advanced yet cost-effective weapons to sustain prolonged, high-intensity conflicts. In essence, quantity is reclaiming its place alongside quality in warfare.

India's Parliament has thrown its weight behind this shift. The Standing Committee on Defence, in a recent report, urged the nation to ramp up domestic production of weapons in large volumes at low costs. This is essential for enduring extended wars where supply chains could falter.

The push aligns seamlessly with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative in defence. A larger slice of the defence budget now prioritises indigenous procurement, curtailing dependence on foreign vendors vulnerable to geopolitical pressures during crises.

Global conflicts have redefined the economics of warfare, amplifying Pinaka's relevance. In the Israel-Hamas war, Israel expended interceptor missiles worth lakhs to counter rockets costing mere thousands. Such asymmetries drain resources rapidly.

The Russia-Ukraine war offers stark lessons too. Inexpensive drones routinely obliterated tanks and armoured vehicles valued at crores, proving that low-cost systems can neutralise high-end assets effectively.

Similar dynamics played out in Sudan and Myanmar, where non-state actors wielded improvised, budget weapons to cripple conventional forces. The takeaway is unambiguous: cost imbalances now dictate battlefield sustainability.

Pinaka thrives in this paradigm. Unlike BrahMos, engineered for precision hits on high-value targets, Pinaka rockets can be mass-produced and redeployed en masse, ensuring firepower endurance without fiscal exhaustion.

Its versatility extends beyond domestic use. Armenia became the first foreign customer in September 2022, receiving Pinaka systems to bolster its arsenal. France has expressed keen interest, signalling growing international appeal.

These exports are transformative. They invigorate production lines, driving economies of scale that lower unit costs and enhance stockpiles. Robust manufacturing, in turn, fortifies India's war readiness against potential adversaries.

Pinaka's guided variant, tested successfully last December, extends its reach to 120 kilometres with pinpoint accuracy. This upgrade, incorporating advanced navigation and control systems, bridges the gap between unguided rockets and true missiles.

The system's multi-barrel configuration—typically 12 tubes per launcher—enables salvoes of up to 72 rockets in 44 seconds, overwhelming enemy defences through sheer volume. Ripened by iterative DRDO trials since the 1990s, Pinaka now integrates seamlessly into the Indian Army's artillery matrix.

TASL's involvement has accelerated indigenisation. Leveraging private sector agility, the partnership has streamlined development, testing, and production, setting a template for future collaborations in missiles, UAVs, and beyond.

In the May 2025 skirmish, BrahMos showcased single-shot decisiveness, but Pinaka promises sustained barrages. Analysts envision hybrid tactics: BrahMos for surgical strikes, Pinaka for area denial, creating a layered deterrence.

Doctrinal thinkers argue this duo embodies 'quantity with quality'. Affordable precision fire allows India to match China's numerical superiority in artillery, particularly along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Parliament's endorsement extends to funding. The committee recommended allocating more resources to serial production of systems like Pinaka, alongside Akash missiles and TEJAS fighters, to build a credible war reserve.

Aatmanirbhar Bharat's fruits are evident in Pinaka's supply chain. Over 90 per cent of components are now sourced domestically, from rocket motors by Munitions India to seekers by private firms, insulating against sanctions.

Export success to Armenia underscores reliability. Facing Azerbaijani threats, Yerevan integrated Pinaka into its defences, praising its rapid deployment and firepower. Deliveries continue, with upgrades tailored to client needs.

France's interest hints at NATO-compatible potential. Discussions focus on Pinaka's role in expeditionary operations, where logistics favour lighter, proliferable systems over heavyweight missiles.

Pinaka undercuts rivals. A single guided rocket costs a fraction of BrahMos's price tag, enabling the Army to procure thousands rather than hundreds. This scalability proved vital in simulations of two-front wars.

Global precedents reinforce the strategy. Ukraine's drone swarms depleted Russian air defences, while Hamas's rocket barrages strained Iron Dome. India, learning these lessons, positions Pinaka as a counter to massed threats from Pakistan or China.

Technologically, Pinaka incorporates inertial navigation, GPS, and indigenous seekers for all-weather precision. Future variants may integrate loitering munitions or hypersonic boosts, further blurring lines with cruise missiles.

The DRDO-TASL model is replicable. Similar partnerships power projects like the Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon and High-Speed Expendable Aerial Target, fostering a defence innovation ecosystem. As hybrid threats rise—from terror proxies to grey-zone tactics—Pinaka embodies India's Prahaar doctrine: pre-emptive, high-volume strikes to deter radicalisation and aggression at source.

Pinaka is more than a rocket; it is a doctrinal pivot towards sustainable supremacy. By wedding precision to proliferation, India redefines firepower economics, ensuring resilience in an era of attrition warfare.

Agencies