Platform profile · India · Family of vehicle- and helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missiles · Indian Army and Indian Air Force
Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile Family (Nag, Nag Mk 2, HELINA/Dhruvastra and SANT)
ApprovedDAC granted AoN on 2025-10-23 to procure Nag Missile System (Tracked) Mk-II for the Indian Army.
On October 23, 2025, the Defence Acquisition Council granted Acceptance of Necessity for the Indian Army to procure the tracked Nag Missile System Mk-II. A Ministry of Defence social-media post on October 17, subsequently reported by Janes on October 20, said the first Nag Mk 2 firing from the Zorawar light tank met its range, top-attack manoeuvrability and accuracy objectives. In March 2025, the Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 1,801.34 crore contract for the baseline tracked NAMIS, while January trials of Nag Mk 2 and Nag Missile Carrier version-2 destroyed every target at minimum and maximum range and left that system ready for induction. Separate 2023 approvals covered Army HELINA and Indian Air Force Dhruvastra procurement, after HELINA high-altitude validation and a SANT helicopter launch demonstrating strike capability up to 10 km. Official BDL and DRDO data disagree on the baseline missile's maximum range, at 4,000-5,000 m, and diameter, at 150-155 mm. The family matters because it gives Indian mechanised formations and helicopter units indigenous day/night, fire-and-forget anti-armour weapons across short and stand-off ranges.
Updated 23 Oct 2025
Verified figures
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Nag baseline type | Third-generation fire-and-forget ATGM with top-attack capability ↗ |
| Nag baseline minimum engagement range | 500 m ↗ |
| Nag baseline length | 1,832 mm ↗ |
| Nag baseline all-up weight | 42 kg ↗ |
| Nag baseline speed | 220-230 m/s ↗ |
| Nag baseline guidance and control | Passive IIR homing; aerodynamic tail-fin control ↗ |
| Nag baseline warhead and operation | Tandem warhead; day and night operation ↗ |
| HELINA/Dhruvastra engagement range | 500-7,000 m ↗ |
| HELINA/Dhruvastra dimensions and weight | 1,946 mm long; 150 mm diameter; 44 kg ↗ |
| HELINA/Dhruvastra guidance and attack | IIR lock-on-before-launch; top and direct attack modes ↗ |
| HELINA/Dhruvastra ALH loadout | Four launchers, each carrying two missiles; 8 missiles total ↗ |
| SANT tested configuration | Up to 10 km range; millimetre-wave seeker ↗ |
Spec sources: bdl-india.in ↗ · drdo.gov.in ↗ · bdl-india.in ↗ · pib.gov.in ↗
Changelog
Program timeline
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The Defence Acquisition Council granted Acceptance of Necessity for Indian Army procurement of Nag Missile System (Tracked) Mk-II within service proposals worth about Rs 79,000 crore in total.
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A Ministry of Defence social-media post said DRDO fired Nag Mk 2 from the Zorawar light tank for the first time and met range, top-attack manoeuvrability and accuracy objectives; Janes reported the post on October 20.
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The Ministry of Defence signed a Rs 1,801.34 crore Buy (Indian-IDDM) contract with Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited for the tracked Nag Missile System anti-tank platform.
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The Ministry of Defence announced that three Nag Mk 2 field trials at Pokhran destroyed all targets at minimum and maximum range; Nag Missile Carrier version-2 was also evaluated and the complete system was declared ready for Army induction.
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The Defence Acquisition Council granted AoN for Indian Air Force procurement of the Dhruvastra short-range air-to-surface missile for indigenous ALH Mk-IV helicopters, within nine proposals worth about Rs 45,000 crore in total.
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The Defence Acquisition Council granted AoN for Indian Army procurement of HELINA missiles, launchers and support equipment for Advanced Light Helicopters, within three proposals worth Rs 4,276 crore in total.
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HELINA completed a second successive high-altitude flight test from an Advanced Light Helicopter, accurately engaging a simulated tank at a different range and altitude and establishing consistent performance of the complete system including its IIR seeker.
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DRDO and the Indian Air Force flight-tested SANT from Pokhran; the helicopter-launched weapon met its mission objectives and demonstrated an MMW-seeker configuration able to engage targets up to 10 km away.
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The Ministry of Defence announced five HELINA and Dhruvastra user-trial missions from Advanced Light Helicopters in desert ranges, covering minimum and maximum range, hover and forward flight, static and moving targets, and missions with warheads.
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A Nag launched from NAMICA at 06:45 at Pokhran hit a tank target with an actual warhead in the final user trial; the Ministry of Defence said the system would enter production.
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The Indian Army completed Nag summer user trials conducted from July 7 to 18 at Pokhran Field Firing Ranges.
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DRDO fired Nag twice against two targets at different ranges and conditions in Rajasthan; with an earlier June firing, the trials established complete Nag-NAMICA functionality and completed development trials.
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