Platform profile · India · Layered anti-ballistic-missile defence system · Indian Armed Forces
The June 10-11, 2026 series demonstrated multi-layer BMD engagements intended to address threats up to ICBM class; a third Bay of Bengal test node at Junput was cleared by West Bengal in September 2026 and named in a NOTAM for a 6-9 October window, with no launch yet confirmed.
DRDO completed a three-test series on June 10-11, 2026, officially reporting successful multi-layer BMD engagements and a system capability intended to address threats up to intercontinental ballistic missiles; Naval News identified the BMD interceptors as AD-1 and AD-2. A July 2024 Phase-II endo-atmospheric trial validated the networked weapon system against a target representing a 5,000 km-class ballistic missile. The official 2022 description gives AD-1 both low-exo and endo roles, while Naval News describes AD-1 as the shorter-range endo layer and AD-2 as the longer-range exo layer. Phase I established PAD, AAD and PDV interceptors, and a 2023 naval-platform trial extended the demonstrated architecture to sea-based endo-atmospheric defence. The programme matters because it gives India an indigenous, increasingly networked second layer against ballistic-missile attack beyond conventional surface-to-air defence.
Updated 25 days ago Updated 6 Oct 2026
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Spec sources: pib.gov.in ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗ · navalnews.com ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗ · missilethreat.csis.org ↗ · timesofindia.indiatimes.com ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗
Changelog
A NOTAM reported by idrw.org on 4 October notified a danger area named "Junput DRDO Missile Testing Range" for missile test activity from 6 to 9 October, the first disclosed test window at the new site; no missile was named and as of 30 October no launch from Junput had been publicly confirmed.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said his government had cleared DRDO's Junput range in East Midnapore, an extension of the Integrated Test Range on about 8.73 acres roughly 74 km by air from Chandipur that stretches the Bay of Bengal interceptor-test corridor to about 150 km, with environmental clearance in hand and construction under way.
DRDO completed three consecutive flight tests across June 10-11; Naval News identified the two BMD shots as AD-1 and AD-2 and reported that both interceptors engaged their targets in a multi-layer demonstration.
DRDO flight-tested the Phase-II AD endo-atmospheric interceptor from ITR Chandipur, meeting all objectives and validating a complete network-centric system against a target representing a 5,000 km-class ballistic missile.
DRDO and the Indian Navy conducted the maiden flight trial of a sea-based endo-atmospheric interceptor off Odisha, engaging and neutralising a hostile ballistic-missile threat from a naval platform.
DRDO conducted the maiden flight test of the Phase-II AD-1 interceptor from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, with geographically distributed BMD weapon-system elements participating and all subsystems performing as expected.
India tested the exo-atmospheric PDV interceptor; CSIS reported that the missile executed its heat-shield ejection and infrared-seeker sequence and successfully engaged the target.
DRDO tested the AAD interceptor at the Integrated Test Range, selecting one target in real time from multiple simultaneous incoming targets before tracking and intercepting it accurately.
AAD completed an endo-atmospheric interception test against an electronically simulated target at about 15 km altitude.
The Prithvi Defence Vehicle completed an exo-atmospheric interception test against a target missile launched from the Bay of Bengal.
DRDO carried out the maiden flight of the PDV exo-atmospheric interceptor using a specially developed two-stage target that represented a ballistic missile approaching from more than 2,000 km away.
An AAD interceptor launched from Wheeler Island destroyed a modified-Prithvi ballistic target at 15 km altitude, with long-range and multifunction-control radars tracking the target throughout its flight.
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A third coastal test node at Junput stretches the Bay of Bengal interceptor corridor to about 150 km and relieves the Chandipur-Kalam Island complex. A NOTAM named the range in October; no launch has yet been publicly confirmed.
