India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested a long-range hypersonic missile off the coast of Odisha on Sunday (November 17).

• The hypersonic missile is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500km for the armed forces.
• The locally developed missile was tested from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off the coast of Odisha.
• India has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting flight trial of long-range hypersonic missile.
• Only the United States, Russia and China have developed technologies to field fast-manoeuvring hypersonic missiles that fly at lower altitudes and are extremely hard to track and intercept.