Important Missiles of India – A Complete Guide for Defence Aspirants

🚀 Introduction

India has made remarkable progress in missile technology under DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation). With programs like IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme) and the latest advancements in Agni, Prithvi, Akash, and BrahMos systems, India today is among the top missile powers in the world.

For aspirants preparing for NDA, CDS, and other defence exams, questions on Indian missiles are very common in the General Studies section. Let’s dive into the most important missiles you must know.

✅ Classification of Missiles

Missiles can be classified into:

Ballistic Missiles – Follow a parabolic path, mostly surface-to-surface.
Cruise Missiles – Guided missiles flying at low altitudes, can be launched from land, sea, or air.
Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAM) – To intercept enemy aircraft.
Air-to-Air / Air-to-Surface Missiles – Launched from fighter aircraft.
Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM) – Destroy enemy tanks/armoured vehicles.

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🔥 List of Important Missiles of India

1. Agni Series (Ballistic Missiles)

Agni-I – Short range (700–1200 km)
Agni-II – Medium range (2000–3000 km)
Agni-III – Intermediate range (3500–5000 km)
Agni-IV – 4000 km+ range
Agni-V – ICBM with 5000–8000 km range (China-specific deterrence)
Agni-P (Prime) – Next-gen, canisterised missile with improved accuracy

2. Prithvi Series

Prithvi-I – Army version (150 km)
Prithvi-II – Air Force version (250–350 km)
Prithvi-III / Dhanush – Naval version (350 km, ship-launched)

3. BrahMos Missile (India-Russia Joint Venture)

Supersonic cruise missile (range: 290–450 km, speed: Mach 2.8–3)
Can be launched from land, air, sea, submarine
Latest update: BrahMos-II (hypersonic) under development

4. Akash Missile

Medium range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM)
Range: 25–30 km
Protects air bases against fighter aircraft, UAVs, and cruise missiles
New version: Akash-NG (Next Generation)

5. Nag Missile (Anti-Tank Guided Missile)

4–7 km range
Fire-and-forget missile to destroy enemy tanks
Variants: Helina (helicopter-launched), SANT (Stand-off Anti-Tank)

6. Nirbhay Cruise Missile

Long range subsonic cruise missile
Range: 1000–1500 km
Designed to carry nuclear warheads

7. Astra Missile (Air-to-Air)

Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile
Range: 110 km (Astra Mk-1), extended to 300 km (Astra Mk-2 under development)
Integrated with Sukhoi-30MKI and Tejas aircraft

8. Other Important Missiles

Shaurya – Hypersonic surface-to-surface missile (~750 km)
Barak-8 – India-Israel SAM system (up to 100 km)
Agni-VI (proposed) – Range expected beyond 8000 km

📌 Why Aspirants Should Focus on Missile Systems

Exam Relevance – Missile questions are asked repeatedly in NDA, CDS, AFCAT, CAPF and even in State PCS exams.
Current Affairs – Recent tests, developments, and defence deals often appear in GK/Current Affairs.
Interview/SSB – Knowledge of strategic defence assets creates a good impression in personal interviews and group discussions.

🎯 Preparation Tips

Make a separate notes page for missile names, types, and ranges.
Revise updates from PIB, DRDO official site, and newspapers.
Focus on new tests (like Agni-P, Akash-NG, BrahMos export deals).
Use mnemonics to remember missile categories.

🏆 Conclusion

Missile systems are the pride of India’s defence technology and an important part of exam preparation. By focusing on the Agni, Prithvi, BrahMos, Akash, Nirbhay, Nag, and Astra missiles, you can cover most of the static as well as current affairs questions.

At The Lakshya Academy, we ensure that aspirants get the right guidance, structured notes, and practice questions to stay ahead in their preparation.

👉 Stay consistent, revise regularly, and keep track of the latest missile developments – that’s the key to success.