Pralay () is a canisterised surface-to-surface, short-range, tactical ballistic missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. It uses a combination of technologies created for the Prahaar tactical missile, and the exoatmospheric interceptor Prithvi Defence Vehicle. The project to develop Pralay was sanctioned in March 2015 with a budget of and became ready for induction in 2022.
Pralay will become a part of the Integrated Rocket Force along with Nirbhay, BrahMos, and Pinaka.
Research Centre Imarat is the lead integrator of this project. Pralay belongs to the same class as Dongfeng 12 (CSS-X-15), Precision Strike Missile, 9K720 Iskander and Hyunmoo 2. Powered by a solid fuel rocket motor, the missile reportedly has the ability to perform terminal maneuvers to hinder anti-ballistic missile interceptors.
It was developed by DRDO under Project Pralay, to counter China's Dongfeng-12, and Pakistan's Nasr short-range missiles. Time from deployment to launch is reportedly within 10 minutes, while transition time from command to launch is reportedly 60 seconds. Bharat Electronics and Bharat Dynamics Limited are the development and production partners for the programme.
Pralay uses the same composite propellant developed by High Energy Materials Research Laboratory for Sagarika and K Missile family. The composite propellant is highly efficient and generates more energy compared to propellant used in Agni missile series. The aerodynamic characterization research was conducted at the National Aerospace Laboratories' 1.2m Trisonic Wind Tunnel Facility.
Pralay carries 350âÂÂ700 kg and 500âÂÂ1,000 kg High Explosive Preformed Fragmentation (HEPF), Penetration-Cum-Blast (PCB) and Runway Denial Penetration Submunition (RDPS) at a range of 150 km to 500 km. Pralay is designed to target radar and communication installations, command and control centers and advance airfields using conventional warhead. The system is road mobile and meets the tactical ballistic missile requirement of the Indian Army. Pralay fills the gap of a conventionally armed ballistic missile that is not hampered by 'No First Use' nuclear policy.
Further work is in progress to extend the range by another few hundred kilometers. In 2022, the missile was ready for induction.
The development phase of Pralay began in 2015 and completed in four years. DRDO will conduct four test flights before the missile being commissioned. According to analysts, development of Pralay achieved an important milestone for India's future Rocket Force. In view of 2020âÂÂ2021 ChinaâÂÂIndia skirmishes, Indian Armed Forces in December 2022 moved proposal for acquisition of Pralay missile. On 25 December 2022, Ministry of Defence cleared the order for 120 missiles for the Indian Air Force.
Two more units of 250 Pralay missiles worth â¹7,500 crore are in advance stages of acquisition as of April 2023.
The purchase of a Pralay regiment for the Indian Army was approved by the MoD on 17 September 2023. A similar proposal was earlier cleared for the Indian Air Force. The missile will be deployed with conventional warhead for tactical roles along Line of Actual Control and Line of Control.
As of September 2024, the user trials and eventual induction of Pralay missiles are expected soon.
On 26 January 2025, the Pralay twin launcher system based on Ashok Leyland 12ÃÂ12 high mobility vehicle was featured at the 76th Republic Day Parade. The development of the missile is now over. In 2026âÂÂ2027, the first Pralay missile regiment will begin service with the Integrated Rocket Force.
According to reports, the Pralay missile's air-launched version is in development. The air-launched version seeks to increase the missile's operational versatility by permitting deployment from aerial assets, to increase the engagement envelope, and enable more rapid and nimble reactions in combat situations.
In 2025, INDIGIS-Enterprise, developed by Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, replaced imported commercial off-the-shelf GIS. It will provide Pralay missile commanders with offline digital maps that, in the absence of the internet, makes it easy to view the locations of the missile launchers and the different kinds of Pralay missiles that are available, such as penetration-aid sub-munition variants, and conventional missiles for regular strikes. They can also see all target data, no escape zone locations, and the maximum range of each missile. The INDIGIS software kit has been improved and enhanced by the Indian private sector company MicroGenesis Techsoft to match the Pralay missile and prepare it for military use.
According to reports, advanced negotiations are underway to sell the Pralay missile to Armenia, and the India's Ministry of Defense has approved its transfer. The export version's payload carrying capability is limited to , and its range is limited to in order to comply with the Missile Technology Control Regime.
Early-stage negotiations to sell the Pralay missile to the Philippines are also reportedly in progress.
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