DRDO to showcase hypersonic missile, advanced submarine technologies on Republic Day

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will highlight India’s growing indigenous defence capabilities by showcasing several path-breaking technologies at the 77th Republic Day parade here, and the ‘Bharat Parv 2026’ at the Red Fort.

The key attractions of the programme include the Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM), and a dedicated DRDO tableau.

The DRDO will display the LR-AShM along with its launcher during the Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path. Designed to meet the coastal battery requirements of the Indian Navy, the LR-AShM is a hypersonic glide missile capable of engaging both static and moving targets with high precision. The missile, a first-of-its-kind system, features fully indigenous avionics and advanced sensor packages, underscoring India’s self-reliance in cutting-edge missile technologies, the Union Ministry of Defence stated.

The LR-AShM follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory, achieving speeds of up to Mach 10, and maintaining an average speed of Mach 5 through multiple skips. Equipped with indigenously developed terminal-phase sensors, the missile can accurately engage moving targets. Its low-altitude flight profile, combined with extreme speed and manoeuvrability, significantly reduces detectability by enemy ground- and ship-based radar systems. The missile uses a two-stage solid propulsion system, after which it performs an unpowered hypersonic glide before striking the target, the Ministry said.

At the Bharat Parv, to be held from January 26 to 31, the DRDO’s tableau on ‘Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines’ will showcase key force multipliers for the Indian Navy’s conventional submarines, including the Integrated Combat Suite, which provides comprehensive situational awareness for underwater warfare; the Wire Guided Heavy Weight Torpedo, a lethal, indigenous torpedo designed to counter modern surface and submarine threats; and the Air Independent Propulsion system, which enhances submarine stealth by enabling long underwater endurance using locally developed phosphoric acid fuel cell technology.

Several other systems developed by the DRDO, including the Arjun main battle tank, the BrahMos missile, the Akash air defence system, and battlefield surveillance radars, will be seen with the Armed Forces contingents. The DRDO’s participation reflects its commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat, reinforcing India’s journey towards self-reliance in defence technologies, the Ministry of Defence said.