India Successfully Tests DRDO’s Anti-Radiation Missile NGARM Capable Of Destroying Enemy Radar Surveillance

India successfully tested an indigenous new-generation anti-radiation missile (NGARM) on Thursday (24 January), Times of India has reported.

The missile boasts of a capability to destroy radar and surveillance targets and was tested successfully test fired from a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter.

The strike range of the missile is about 100 km and is one of the first air-to-ground missile to be developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Times of India quoted a source as saying, “The missile was tested from a Sukhoi-30MKI on 18 January at the integrated test range in Balasore. The missile, with all systems functioning properly, hit the designated target with a high degree of accuracy in the Bay of Bengal. The NGARM can be launched from Sukhois from different altitudes and velocities.”

Besides this, India on Thursday (24 January) successfully tested, the Barak 8 or long range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) from Indian Navy’s destroyer INS Chennai. The missile has been jointly developed by DRDO, Israeli Aerospace Industries and Rafael.

The range of interception of the missile is about 70-100 km. It is set to provide the Indian warships a defence shield in an all-weather condition against enemy fighters, helicopters, missiles etc.

The Barak-I was acquired from Israel right after the Kargil conflict in 1999. Since 2005, the project has been facing several delays despite the then government laying out Rs 2,606 crore for the same. The new project, sanctioned in 2009 at a cost of Rs 10,076 crore has now turned into a reality.