Amid China Border Row, India To Get New Missile That Can Strike Targets 500 Km Away: Report

India had tested the Pralay surface-to-surface ballistic missile on December 22 and 23. The proposal to acquire the missile is at an advanced stage.

At a time when India is locked in a stand-off with China along the LAC in eastern Ladakh and Arunachal, the armed forces have decided to acquire the 'Pralay' ballistic missile that can hit targets from 150 to 500 km, ANI reported.

The proposal to acquire the missile is at an advanced stage and is scheduled to be taken up for clearance during a high-level meeting this week, officials in the Defence Ministry told ANI.

India had tested the Pralay surface-to-surface ballistic missile on December 22 and 23 in 2021. It was for the first time in history that two successive flight tests of a ballistic missile were conducted successfully on two consecutive days.

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Since then, the Army is working towards its acquisition and induction into the military fleet. 

The proposal also comes at a time when the armed forces are working towards creation of a rocket force. Recently, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar stated that the late General Bipin Rawat was working on the creation of a rocket force to counter enemies on the border.

With a range of 150 to 500 km, 'Pralay' is powered with solid propellant rocket motor and other new technologies. The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art navigation and integrated avionics, PTI reported.

 "Pralay' is a quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile. The advanced missile has been developed in a way to able to defeat interceptor missiles. It has the ability to change its path after covering a certain range midair," defence sources told ANI.

When inducted, Pralay missiles will give a tremendous capability to Indian troops to completely destroy or take out enemy air defence sites or similar high-value targets.

The development comes day after Indian and Chinese troops clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector and the face-off led to "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides". The incident came amid the over 30-month border standoff in eastern Ladakh.

(With inputs from agencies)