List of Missiles of India, Range, Types and Important Facts

Explore the comprehensive List of Missiles of India, including ballistic, cruise, and anti-aircraft missiles, highlighting their range, type, and strategic roles.

Table of Contents

India’s missile program is a reflection of the country’s increasing technological and strategic prowess. Under the auspices of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Missiles of India inventory consists of a wide variety of ballistic, cruise, and anti-aircraft missiles intended for a variety of defence and deterrence purposes.

From the short-range Prithvi to the intercontinental Agni-V, and precision-guided systems like BrahMos, India has made impressive contributions in beefing up its defence infrastructure and projecting itself as a prominent actor in world missile technology. Check here the List of Missiles of India and their Types in detail.

Missiles of India

A missile is also referred to as a guided missile in military jargon. A guided missile is a self-propelled flying weapon that is typically driven by a fighter jet engine or rocket motor. An object that can be launched, shot, or pushed toward a target is referred to as a missile in everyday speech. The Missiles of India are used for a variety of defence-related reasons. Fundamentally, its arsenal of ballistic missiles serves as a platform for the delivery of nuclear weapons to both China and Pakistan.

India’s development of longer-range ballistic missiles and its diversification of its delivery vehicles beyond mobile land-based missiles are both driven by military requirements. In the age of modernity, India is working with Russia to develop cruise missiles and ship-launched ballistic missiles in order to become a strong country. In most competitive tests, the defence is a significant and engaging component that is combined with the General Knowledge section.

Types of Missiles of India

India has a multifaceted and rapidly expanding arsenal of missiles, distinguished by factors such as the type of launch platform, range, and target. The following is a list of major categories of missiles of India:

Type	Details
Based on Launch Platform	Surface-to-Surface Missiles (SSM) Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAM) Air-to-Air Missiles (AAM) Air-to-Surface Missiles (ASM) Sea-to-Sea Missiles Sea-to-Surface Missiles Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM) Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM)
Based on Trajectory	Ballistic Missiles Cruise Missiles
Based on Range	Short-Range Ballistic Missiles (SRBM) Medium-Range Ballistic Missiles (MRBM) Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBM) Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) Tactical Missiles
Based on Speed	Subsonic Missiles Supersonic Missiles Hypersonic Missiles
Based on the Guidance System	Different guidance systems are used, such as inertial navigation, active radar homing, infrared homing, laser guidance, and GPS/NavIC.
Based on Warhead	Missiles may be equipped with conventional (high explosives) or strategic (nuclear) warheads, based on their intended use.

List of Missiles in India

Check here the complete List of Missiles in India, categorised by their types:

Air-to-Air missiles

Name of the Missile	Type	Range
MICA	Short to medium-range	500 m to 80 km
Astra	Beyond Visual Range	80-110 km
Novator K-100	Medium-range air-to-air missile	300–400 km

Surface-To-Air Missiles

Name of the Missile	Type	Range
Trishul	Short-range surface-to-air missile	9 km
Akash Missile	Medium-range surface-to-air missile	30-35km
Barak 8	Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (developed with Israel)	100 km
Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM)	Short-range
VL-SRSAM	Vertical Launch Short Range Surface-to-Air Missile
SAMAR Air Defence System	Short/Medium-Range Air Defence System
Prithvi Air Defence (PAD)	Exo-atmospheric interceptor	Altitude- 80km (high altitude)
Advanced Air Defence (AAD)/Ashwin	Endo-atmospheric interceptor	Altitude- 120km (lower altitude)
Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV)	Exo-atmospheric interceptor	Altitude- 30km

Surface-to-Surface Missiles (Ballistic Missiles)

Name of the Missile	Type	Range
Agni Series
Agni-I	Short-range ballistic missile	700-1250 km
Agni-II	Medium-range ballistic missile	2,000–3,000 km
Agni-III	Intermediate-range ballistic missile	3,500 km – 5,000 km
Agni-IV	Intermediate-range ballistic missile	3,000 – 4,000 km
Agni-V	Intercontinental ballistic missile	5000 – 8000 Km
Agni-P (Agni Prime)	Medium-range ballistic missile	1,000-2,000 km
Agni-VI	Intercontinental ballistic missile	under development, potential range up to 16,000 km
Prithvi Series
Prithvi I	Short-Range Ballistic Missile	150 km (being withdrawn)
Prithvi II	Short-Range Ballistic Missile	350 km (being withdrawn)
Prithvi-III	Short-Range Ballistic Missile	350-600 km (in service)
Other Missiles
Dhanush	Short-Range Ballistic Missile	350 – 600 km
Shaurya	Medium-Range Ballistic Missile	750 to 1,900 km
Prahaar	Short-Range Ballistic Missile	150 km
Pralay	Short-range surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile	150-500 km

Cruise Missiles

Name of the Missile	Type	Range
BrahMos	Supersonic cruise missile	290-500 km
BrahMos II	Hypersonic cruise missile	300km
Nirbhay	Subsonic cruise missile	1,000 -1500 km
Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM)	Under development

Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBM)

Name of the Missile	Type	Range
Ashwin	Ballistic Missile	150-200km
Sagarika (K-15)	Short-range Ballistic Missile	700 – 1900 Km
K-4	Medium-range Ballistic Missile	3,500–5,000 km
K-5	Intermediate-range Ballistic Missile	5000-6,000 km

Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM)

Name of the Missile	Type	Range
Amogha	Short-range Anti-Tank Guided Missile	2.8 km
Nag	Fire-and-forget Anti-Tank Guided Missile	4-10 km
Helina/Dhruvastra	Helicopter-launched Nag	7-10 km
Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM)	Short-range

Missiles of India: Important Facts for UPSC

The 1983 launch of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).
The goal of this programme was to build the Trishul, Akash, Nag, Prithvi, and Agni-I missile systems in the nation.
The intermediate-range surface-to-surface missiles mentioned above.
The “Missile Woman” of India is Tessy Thomas, an Indian scientist who serves as the Director General of Aeronautical Systems and the former Project Director for the Agni-IV missile in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Prithvi was the nation’s first surface-to-surface missile with a single stage and liquid fuel.

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Missiles of India FAQs

Which is the most powerful missile in India?

In terms of range, the Agni-V is currently India's most potent operational Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a stated range of over 5,000 km.

Which is the 1st missile of India?

The Prithvi-I is considered the first missile developed in India. Its development began in 1983 under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), and it was first test-fired in 1988.

Which is the No 1 missile in the world?

Based on current information, particularly regarding range and payload capacity, the Russian RS-28 Sarmat ("Satan II") is often cited as one of the most powerful and fearsome Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) currently operational.

Who is known as the ‘Missile Woman of India’?

The Missile Woman of India is Tessy Thomas, an Indian scientist who served as the DRDO's Director General of Aeronautical Systems and as the former Project Director for the Agni-IV missile.