Solar Defence and Aerospace Ltd. has completed the delivery of its NAGASTRA-2 anti-tank loitering munition system to the Indian Army, marking a significant advance in India's indigenous precision-strike capabilities.

The system's defining feature is its ability to penetrate up to 650 mm of Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA), enabling it to engage heavily protected armoured targets with greater effectiveness.

Developed by the Nagpur-based company, NAGASTRA-2 recently completed technical trials at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in August 2026, where Army personnel observed and validated all operational and Electronic Counter-Countermeasures (ECCM) compliance parameters.

The anti-tank loitering munition is equipped with a 4 kg tandem shaped-charge warhead specifically designed to defeat armour protected by up to 650 mm of RHA. Combined with day-and-night surveillance cameras, the system can identify, track and strike armoured targets with high precision across varying operational conditions.

Its ability to remain airborne for up to 60 minutes gives operators valuable time to locate and assess targets before conducting an attack. The munition can operate at a range of up to 25 km in recover-and-reuse mode, while extending to 50 km in fire-and-forget mode, offering commanders considerable tactical flexibility on the battlefield.

A major strength of NAGASTRA-2 is its ECCM capability, which is designed to maintain effectiveness in electronically contested environments. The system is built to withstand communication jamming, GPS jamming and spoofing attempts, ensuring mission continuity even in the presence of sophisticated electronic warfare threats.

The successful induction of NAGASTRA-2 reflects the growing emphasis on indigenous loitering munition technology within the Indian Army. Such systems combine surveillance and strike capabilities in a single platform, allowing operators to search for targets before launching precision attacks.

The latest achievement also builds upon the Army's earlier procurement of approximately 450 NAGASTRA-1R loitering munitions from Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited in 2025. According to the company, the NAGASTRA-1R provides a cost-effective capability through fully reusable launcher systems and advanced targeting features.

The NAGASTRA-1R is equipped with a 360-degree gimbal camera and can be fitted with a thermal camera for night operations. It also incorporates proprietary encryption for video and telemetry communications and employs a high-precision targeting system with a Circular Error Probable of two metres.

Featuring more than 80% indigenous content, the Nagastra family highlights India's efforts to strengthen self-reliance in advanced defence manufacturing. The systems have undergone testing in diverse operational environments, including Ladakh and Babina near Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, demonstrating their suitability across varied terrain and climatic conditions.

The development, successful trials and delivery of NAGASTRA-2 represent an important milestone for India's domestic defence industry. With its headline 650 mm armour-penetration capability, extended endurance, electronic warfare resilience and precision-strike performance, the system provides the Indian Army with a modern indigenous solution for engaging armoured threats on future battlefields.

Agencies