DRDO successfully flight-tests the indigenous Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile off Odisha

All objectives were met in the LRLACM test from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island — an indigenously developed, sub-sonic cruise missile for the Army, Navy and Air Force that advances India's precision-strike and defence self-reliance.

What happened

• The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight-test of the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on 15 June 2026.
• All test objectives were fully met, as per data captured by the various tracking instruments deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.
• The LRLACM is an indigenously developed missile, with all sub-systems developed by various DRDO laboratories and Indian industry partners; the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru, is the nodal laboratory.
• The launch was witnessed by senior DRDO officials and user representatives from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force, with the Chairman DRDO monitoring all launch activities.
• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO team and industry partners on the successful test — a step that strengthens India's long-range precision-strike capability and defence indigenisation.

For Prelims

• Cruise vs ballistic missile: A cruise missile flies low, within the atmosphere, on a self-propelled, guided (often sub-sonic) path like an aircraft; a ballistic missile follows a high, arching trajectory powered only in the boost phase. LRLACM is a sub-sonic land-attack cruise missile.
• LRLACM lineage: The LRLACM is developed from the technology of India's Nirbhay sub-sonic cruise missile programme; it is designed for launch from land (mobile launchers) and ships with a long range (~1,000+ km class).
• Nodal lab — ADE: The Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), Bengaluru is a DRDO lab for aeronautical systems/UAVs; it leads LRLACM, with sub-systems from other DRDO labs and private/DPSU industry (e.g. BDL, BEL).
• Test ranges: Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island (formerly Wheeler Island) and the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur (Odisha) are DRDO's principal missile-test sites.
• Comparison — BrahMos: India's other key cruise missile, BrahMos (India-Russia), is supersonic; the indigenous LRLACM is sub-sonic but long-range and fully home-grown — both add to the precision-strike arsenal.
• Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence: Indigenous sub-systems and industry partnership reflect 'Make in India'/defence indigenisation and the push to cut import dependence.
• Don't confuse: LRLACM (land-attack cruise missile, offensive precision strike) is distinct from the BMD interceptors (defensive) and from ballistic missiles like Agni; cruise (LRLACM) and supersonic (BrahMos) are different categories.

For Mains

Syllabus: GS3.12 · GS3.20 · Linkage L2