Explainer: Pralay gives flexibility to strike strategic targets deep inside enemy territory without crossing nuclear threshold

Two successful launches of the Pralay quasi-ballistic missile as part of the ‘user evaluation trials’ were carried consecutively out by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on May 28 and 29, paving the way for induction of the weapon into the Armed Forces in near future.

During the flight tests, meant to validate the system’s maximum and minimum range capability, the missiles precisely followed the intended trajectory and reached the target point with pinpoint accuracy meeting all the test objectives, a defence spokesperson said.

All subsystems performed as per expectations, which were verified using test data captured by various tracking sensors deployed by Integrated Test Range (ITR) including instruments deployed on ship positioned near the designated impact point.

Pralay, India’s newest ‘quasi-ballistic’ missile made its debut on Republic Day this year when the 8×8 transporter–erector–launcher vehicle carrying two missiles rolled down Kartavya Path in Delhi. It gives the armed forces the flexibility to strike strategic targets deep inside enemy territory without crossing the nuclear threshold.

An indigenously-developed solid propellant quasi-ballistic missile employing state-of-the-art guidance and navigation to ensure high precision, it is capable of carrying multiple types of warheads and is designed to target airfields, command and control centres, troop concentrations, and radar and air defence installations and communication centres.

It has a range of 500 km and can carry a payload of up to 1,000 kg. Its range puts it between Prithvi, India’s first ballistic missile inducted over 30 years ago whose variants have a reach of 150-350 km, and the Agni series of intermediate range and intercontinental ballistic missiles that are capable of hitting targets from 700 to 8,000 km.

Incidentally, earlier this month, the Strategic Forces Command had successfully test-fired the Prithvi-II and Agni-I balliostic missiles, both of which are nuclear capable, from the ITR off the Odisha coast. These launches were carried out as part of training to validate all operational and technical parameters.

Pralay’s ‘quasi-ballistic’ categorisation implies that it is launched vertically like a ballistic missile and follows a low trajectory hyperbolic flight trajectory from its firing point to the designated target, but, unlike a ballistic missile, its ware have the ability to change course or be manoeuvred in the later stages of its flight, somewhat like a cruise missile.

The missile was developed by the DRDO in response to specific requirements defined by the Army for a tactical battlefield weapon that gives it punitive strike capability. It can also help in evading anti-missile defence systems.

The project was initiated by DRDO in 2015 with a budgetary allocation of Rs 332.88 crore, and executed by Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat (RCI) that is responsible for developing missile systems, guided weapons and advanced avionics.

Several other DRDO laboratories including Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Advanced Systems Laboratory, Armament Research and Development Establishment, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) and ITR are also associated with the project along with industry partners like Bharat Dynamics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited and many other firms and MSMEs.

The first two tests of the missile were carried out in quick succession on December 22 and 23, 2021. A third flight test was conducted on November 7, 2023. DRDO described the tests as successful, with the systems achieving all the required mission objectives.

The missile incorporates several technologies developed by DRDO for other platforms such as the exoatmospheric interceptor missile Prithvi defence vehicle, Prahaar tactical missile and the Sagarika submarine-launched ballistic missile. Its guidance module includes state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics.

There are several missiles in service with other countries that can be compared to Pralay. These include Russia’s 9K720 Iskander that is also being used in the ongoing war with Ukraine, US’ Precision Strike Missile, South Korea’s Hyunmoo — 2A and China’s Dong Feng – 12. All these missiles are road-mobile and capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

In the aftermath of the violent face-off with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh in mid-2020 and the subsequent stand-off that still continues, the Army had sought acquisition of Pralay in 2022, following which the Ministry of Defence had reportedly cleared procurement of 120 such missiles.

In April 2023, reports said that the Ministry of Defence had accepted a proposal to acquire another 250 Pralay missiles at an estimated cost of Rs 7,500 crore for the Air Force. Subsequently in September 2023, the Defence Ministry reportedly agreed to raise a regiment of Pralay missiles for the Army.

Conventionally, only those weapon systems that have been inducted into the armed forces are displayed on Republic Day, some defence experts believe that Pralay is already operational, though no formal announcement on its status has been made by any government agency.

India