India Successfully Tests Indigenous Drone Killer Bhargavastra, Boosts Air Defence Arsenal

India on Wednesday successfully tested a new indigenous low-cost counter-drone system, named Bhargavastra.

Broadcaster India Today said that the test was conducted at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur, Odisha. Developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), the system is designed to target hostile drone swarms.

Hostile drone swarms are emerging as a major threat on the battlefield and these “remote toys”, as many observers put it, have been extensively used in the Russia-Ukraine war and the Pakistani forces also used it when it intervened on behalf of terrorists following the Operation Sindoor counter terror ops.

Indian forces responded befittingly and downed all the “remote toys” Pakistan launched towards Indian border districts and cities. The trial involved the launch of micro rockets that met all predefined performance parameters, officials said, according to the broadcaster.

Bhargavastra, equipped with hard-kill technology, features advanced capabilities to detect and destroy small or incoming drones at ranges of up to 2.5 kilometres.

The trial involved the launch of micro rockets that met all predefined performance parameters, officials said, according to the broadcaster. Three trials of the rocket were carried out in the presence of senior Army Air Defence (AAD) officials.