Surface Strike

Atul Chandra

The Indian military has a growing requirement for anti-ship missiles that can be launched from fighter aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters. An increasingly volatile regional situation coupled with the need to protect vital shipping lanes from adversaries, means that the ability to strike first at a surface target is a prized one. Keeping in mind future threats, the Indian military will need to build up their stocks of anti-ship missiles as they will quickly get expended over the course of a wider conflict on air, land and sea.

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While India has traditionally had to procure its anti-ship missiles from Russia and Europe, its growing defence relationship with the USA, has provided a new procurement option. The Defence Research & Development Organisation’s (DRDO) apparent success in the developing the indigenously developed Naval Anti-Ship Missile also bodes well for the future. This is the first indigenous air launched anti-ship missile system for the Indian Navy.

Indigenous Attack

In November, the Indian Navy announced that it had successfully completed the first guided flight trial of the indigenously developed Naval Anti-ship Missile from a Sea King Mk42B helicopter in partnership with DRDO. The service tweeted that the test was a significant step towards achieving self-reliance in niche missile technology, including seeker and guidanc