DRDO successfully test-fired the Pinaka long-range guided rocket

• Bolstering India's indigenous defense technology, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a flight test of the Pinaka Long-Range Guided Rocket (LRGR) on July 8, 2026, from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha.

• In this test, the rocket was evaluated for a user-defined minimum strike range of 60 kilometers. During the trial, the rocket successfully met all designated flight parameters and maneuverability requirements, striking the target with high precision.

• This success serves as a testament to the reliability, accuracy, and operational capability of the Pinaka system.

• Earlier, in December 2025, the first successful flight test of the Pinaka LRGR-120 was conducted, during which the rocket demonstrated a maximum strike range of 120 kilometers.

• With this latest test, both the minimum and maximum operational capabilities of the Pinaka system have been successfully validated.

• Currently, the Indian Army possesses approximately six to seven Pinaka rocket regiments.

• The Army plans to increase this number to 10 regiments by the end of 2026 and expand to 22 regiments in the future.

• This will significantly boost both the Indian Army's long-range precision strike capabilities and its indigenous defense systems.