India announces successful hypersonic missile test – DW – 17/11/2024

India has tested a long-range hypersonic missile, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday.

The missile was launched on Saturday from APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the east coast.

According to the Atlantic Council, only the United States, China and Russia have demonstrated hypersonic capabilities. North Korea and the Houthis in Yemen have also claimed to have fired such missiles.

Hypersonic weapons can reach speeds more than five times the speed of sound.

Major milestone for India’s defense capabilities

“This is a historic moment and this significant achievement has placed our country in the group of select countries that have such crucial and advanced military technologies,” Singh wrote on Facebook.

According to a government statement, the Defense Research and Development Organization and industry partners developed the missile to carry payloads over distances of more than 1,500 km (930 miles).

“The flight data … confirmed the successful terminal maneuvers and impact with a high degree of accuracy,” the government said.

In recent years, New Delhi has strengthened its defense cooperation with Western countries, mainly through the Quad alliance, which also includes the United States, Japan and Australia.

What happened in Delyatyn?

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lo/tg (AFP, Reuters)