The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out the maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket at the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, on 29 December 2025. The rocket was tested to its maximum range of 120 km, performing all planned in-flight manoeuvres and striking the target with high accuracy.
The rocket system was designed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in collaboration with the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), and supported by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and the Research Centre Imarat (RCI). It was launched from an in-service Pinaka launcher, demonstrating its versatility and compatibility to fire different range variants from the same platform.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO on the successful test, calling it a major technological boost for the Armed Forces and a potential game-changer in India’s defence capabilities.
