The Defence Research and Development Organisation has successfully conducted a flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur.

The trial took place on Wednesday (8-Jul-2026) and was confirmed by the Ministry of Defence as a significant achievement in India’s artillery modernisation drive.

The rocket was tested for a user-defined minimum range of sixty kilometres. During the trial, it executed all planned in-flight manoeuvres and impacted the designated target with textbook precision. The trajectory was exactly as predicted, and the deployed range instruments tracked the rocket throughout its flight, confirming the accuracy of the system.

The Pinaka LRGR has been designed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment in collaboration with the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory. Additional support was provided by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory and the Research Centre Imarat, ensuring a comprehensive development effort across multiple DRDO establishments.

The flight trial was coordinated by the Integrated Test Range and the Proof and Experimental Establishment. The rocket was launched from an in-service Pinaka launcher, demonstrating the versatility of the system. This capability allows Pinaka launchers to fire rockets of different ranges from the same platform, thereby reducing logistical complexity and enhancing battlefield adaptability.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO, the Indian Army and the industry partners involved in the programme. He emphasised that the successful test reflected the growing maturity of indigenous defence technologies and would contribute significantly to self-reliance in advanced weapon systems.

The Pinaka system itself has already proven its effectiveness in operational service, with variants exported to friendly nations. The LRGR variant, with its extended range and precision strike capability, further strengthens India’s artillery arsenal. The successful demonstration at sixty kilometres highlights the rocket’s reliability and positions it as a cost-effective alternative to foreign systems.

Operationally, the LRGR is capable of engaging area targets with precision across ranges from sixty to one hundred and twenty kilometres.

It carries multiple warhead options, including high explosive pre-fragmented, penetration cum blast, thermobaric and cluster munitions, making it suitable for a wide variety of battlefield scenarios. The rocket’s trajectory peaks at high altitude before descending towards its target, ensuring optimal accuracy and effectiveness.

This achievement underscores India’s commitment to indigenous defence production under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. With the Defence Acquisition Council already clearing the project for induction, the LRGR is expected to enter service with the Army soon, reinforcing India’s deterrence and operational capabilities.

Agencies