Aero India 2023: Nag ATGM set for Indian Army induction

According to the DRDO, the Nag ATGM – seen here displayed at Aero India 2023 – is ready for induction into the Indian Army. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)

The Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) has cleared the trials required for induction into the Indian Army, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) told Janes at the Aero India 2023 show being held in Bangalore from 13 to 17 February.

A DRDO official told Janes that the Nag ATGM is ready for induction into the Indian Army after completing all required flight and user trials. “We [DRDO] are now awaiting an order from the Indian Army,” the official said.

According to the DRDO, the Nag missile is a fire-and-forget, third-generation ATGM. The missile is equipped with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker to engage with static and moving targets. The IIR seeker is capable of operating during day and night.

The operational range of the Nag is up to 4 km and it is equipped with a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead. The Nag features top-attack capability. In the land-based role, the missile is mounted to the Nag Missile Carrier (NAMICA) armoured vehicle, which is a variant of the BMP-2 Sarath produced by India.

The missile has a length of 1.834 m, a diameter of 0.158 m, and a weight of 44 kg. The Nag ATGM has also been mounted to helicopters. In this configuration, the ATGM system is known as Helina.