India successfully demonstrates BMD capability to take down hostile ballistic missiles

New Delhi: India has successfully carried out flight-tests of key platforms this week to demonstrate its multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence system's power to intercept long and medium-range missiles, joining a select group of countries having the capability.

The BMDs are capable of intercepting incoming long-range nuclear missiles and hostile aircraft including AWACS (airborne warning and control systems).

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Three consecutive flight-tests were conducted on June 10 and 11 to demonstrate multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) against incoming missiles, according to the defence ministry.

The tests were conducted to check the capability to take down incoming ballistic missiles both inside and outside the earth's atmospheric limits.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully demonstrated multiple crucial technologies bolstering the nation's defence capabilities against different types of enemy threats, the ministry said on Saturday.

It said multi-layered BMD capability was successfully demonstrated through these flight-tests.

"The interceptors successfully engaged their respective targets. The systems are designed and developed with latest technologies to address the emerging missile threats," it said.

"These tests have put the country in the elite group of nations having BMD capability to engage up to intercontinental ballistic missiles," the ministry said.

The ministry said the maiden flight-test of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Medium Range (NASM-MR) was also carried out successfully.

Under the BMD programme, India has been developing capability to intercept hostile missiles both at endo-atmospheric and exo-atmospheric levels.

The endo-atmospheric missiles are the ones that operate within the earth's atmosphere that covers an altitude below 100 km. The exo-atmospheric missiles are capable of completing missions in the upper-most region of the earth's atmosphere.

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The latest flight-tests were witnessed by senior officials of DRDO and defence forces.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO on successfully demonstrating these crucial technologies.