On Wednesday, for the first time, the light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas successfully test-fired the India-made Astra missile. The test was conducted off the coast of Goa, at an altitude of 20,000 ft. According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence, “it was a perfect textbook launch”.
The test-launch of Astra missile signifies another feather in the cap of Indian military’s indigenization goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat. It was overseen by the directors and the scientists of Defence and Research Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) along with the officials from the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DG-AQA).
Image Source: DefenceXP
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the test will further strengthened Indian military’s indigenous combat kit and end dependence on imports.
Supersonic Astra Missile
Astra is an indigenously developed, beyond visual range (BVR), supersonic and air-to-air missile developed by the laboratories of DRDO. The range of the missile is about 100 KM. It flies at over four times the speed of sound at 4.5 Mach. The missile is capable of destroying high manoeuvring and supersonic objects of target.
DRDO is also working on the development of an advance versions of Astra, which will have solid fuel-based ducted ramjet (SFDR) propulsion system. SFDR will enable India to have its own long-range air-to-air missiles like European Meteor missiles that are installed in Rafale jets.
Made in India
In order to end our reliance on Europe, USA and Russia for high-tech and state-of-the-art defence equipment, the DRDO, HAL and other organisations have received increased attention and budget from the governmental ministries.
It should be noted that according to a study by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India is the world’s largest importer of military equipment. This is despite the fact that the arms import between 2013-17 and 2018-22 actually declined by about 11%. Therefore, any made-in-India addition to country’s defence kitty becomes a matter of pride as well as a matter of military and strategic independence.
Deterrence and Strength
Further, the Astra missile test has proven to be a harbinger of enhanced combat prowess for LCA Tejas, which have now been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir as a show of strength against the rivals China and Pakistan.
The Defence Ministry has already ordered nearly 250 Astra Mk-1 missiles for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, which has come to play a pivotal role in the geopolitics and maritime security of the Indian Ocean Region.
The success of Chandrayan-3 is a matter of pride for the country. The jubilant celebrations around its success has foreshadowed what is rather a great feat in the development of India’s surging hard-power. In a world of geopolitical uncertainty and backstabbing, the success of the Astra missile deserves appreciation.
