New Delhi
India has successfully conducted the maiden flight-trial of the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon system off the coast of Odisha, marking a significant step in indigenous defence technology development, the government said on Friday.
The system has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with the Indian Air Force and industry partners. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated all teams involved, calling the achievement an important milestone in strengthening India’s self-reliant defence capability.
TARA is a modular range augmentation kit designed to convert unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons. It enables existing munitions to strike targets with improved accuracy and extended range, making it a cost-effective enhancement to current air-delivered weapon systems.
The system has been developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI) along with other DRDO laboratories. It is described as India’s first indigenous glide weapon system of its kind, using low-cost technology to enhance battlefield effectiveness against ground-based targets.
Officials said the project has also involved Development-cum-Production Partners and Indian industries, many of which have already begun production activities, reflecting the growing role of the domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem.
DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat also congratulated the teams for the successful trial, noting its importance for future weapon development programs.
The government has emphasized that defence research is a national priority. It highlighted that DRDO has already transferred more than 2,200 technologies to industry partners, and a significant portion of the defence R&D budget is now allocated to academia, start-ups, and private companies.
Officials said more than ₹4,500 crore has already been utilized by industry and innovation partners, underlining India’s push toward building a strong and self-reliant defence manufacturing base.
