India Test-Fires Pralay, Its Latest Surface-To-Surface Missile

Vishal Thapar Dec 22, 2021

India on December 22 test-fired ‘Pralay’, a new generation surface-to-surface missile with a range of 150 – 500 km.

The new missile followed a “quasi-ballistic trajectory” in its maiden launch from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) stated in a press release. The test-firing achieved all objectives, the statement added.

The DRDO statement was silent on whether the Pralay is an Interceptor or a replacement for the Prithvi series of short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missiles. The Prithvi was the first missile developed by India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) to build delivery systems for its nuclear arsenal.

“The Missile is powered with solid propellant rocket motor and many new technologies. The missile has a range of 150-500 kilometre and can be launched from a mobile launcher. The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics,” the statement elaborated.

“The new missile followed the desired quasi ballistic trajectory and reached the designated target with high degree accuracy, validating the control, guidance and mission algorithms. All the sub-systems performed satisfactorily. All the sensors deployed near the impact point across the eastern coast, including the down range ships, tracked the missile trajectory and captured all the events,” according to the DRDO statement.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Secretary DRDO Satheesh Reddy sent congratulatory messages. Dr Reddy termed Pralay as a “a new generation surface-to-surface missile equipped with modern technologies” and expressed the hope that the “induction of this weapon system will give the necessary impetus to the Armed Forces”.

The maiden test-firing of the Pralay is the latest in a series of ballistic missile tests conducted by India recently. On December 18, it announced the second test-firing of the Agni-P (also reported as the Agni-Prime), an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile which can address targets in the 1,000 – 2,000-km range, reportedly with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) and Manoeuveable Re-entry Vehicle (MaRV) capability.

Some reports suggested that the Agni-Prime, with improved propellants, navigation and guidance systems is a replacement for the Agni-1 and Agni-2 variants. Alternate chatter in the strategic community conveyed that it might be an Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile (ASBM) which can be wielded as a sea denial weapon to target an aircraft carrier.

All new Indian ballistic missiles are cannisterised and road and rail mobile. These are also a significant improvement upon the earlier generation of missiles in range, accuracy, reliability and stability and ease of transport and handling. The new generation of Indian missiles are also lighter, with a higher proportion of composite materials.

On October 28, India test-fired the Agni-5 Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile with a range of 5,000 km. This was the first test-launch of an ICBM by India’s Strategic Forces Command, an indication that the Agni-5 is now a fully operational, nuclear-capable weapon system.