India conducts user-evaluation trials for Pralay missile

Pralay SSM photographed at its user evaluation trials on 5 November 2026. (Press Information Bureau)

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted another flight test of the Pralay quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile (SSM), with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) saying the trial brings the system closer to induction. The missile was tested from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha on 5 November.

In an announcement on the same day, the MoD said the flight test was conducted as part of user evaluation trials. “All the test objectives were fully met as confirmed by the test data captured by various range instruments deployed by Integrated Test Range, Chandipur,” the MoD said. It did not elaborate.

According to the MoD, the Pralay SSM was developed locally by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat in Hyderabad, along with other DRDO laboratories. It identified Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), based in Hyderabad, as a development-cum-production partner that produced the system.

“With this successful test, the induction of the system has become imminent,” the MoD said. It did not disclose a service-entry timeline.

The flight test followed two user-evaluation trials that the DRDO conducted in July 2025. At the time, the MoD said the trials were conducted to “validate the maximum and minimum range capability” of the Pralay missile. “The missiles precisely followed the intended trajectory and reached the target point with pin-point accuracy, meeting all the test objectives,” the MoD said.

At the time, the MoD described Pralay as a solid-propellant quasi-ballistic missile that can carry different warhead types to neutralise targets. It added the missile features “state-of-the-art guidance and navigation” but did not provide further details.