India Developing Tactical Ballistic Missile With A Range Of 200 Km To Boost Security, Weapon Exports

India is developing a new tactical ballistic missile capable of striking targets at a range of 200 km, top government officials said on Thursday (6 January), reports Hindustan Times.

According to the report, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing the surface-to-surface missile which has been named Pranash, one of the officials said.

The official added that the new weapon traces its origin to the DRDO-developed Prahaar missile, which has a range of 150 km. However, the Indian Army wanted a missile with better range, which is why the Pranash is being developed, he said.

“The configuration of Pranash has been frozen and development trials will begin by 2021-end. We will be in a position to offer it for user trials in two years. The army wants a missile with a range in the region of 200 km,” a second official aware of the matter was quoted in the report as saying.

A single-stage solid propellant will propel the non-nuclear Pranash missile, said the second official.

The Pranash, once developed, can be exported to friendly foreign countries, said the first official, adding that it would be one of the cheapest missiles in the world in its category.

“The missile is outside the purview of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which places export restrictions on missiles with ranges of more than 300km,” he said.

Development of the missile will boost the government’s efforts to increase defence export.

Earlier on Wednesday (5 January) during the inauguration of the DefExpo 2020 in Lucknow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the country’s target is to export weapons worth around Rs 35,000 crore in the next five years.