India's BMD to work against 5,000 km range missiles too

India's ballistic missile defence (BMD) system, a multi-layered missile system that is capable of intercepting enemy ballistic missiles up to to ranges of 2,000 km, is now steeped in two things: operationalising the existing PAD/AAD interceptor configuration for deployment in the near term, and adding a capability to intercept ballistic missiles of 5,000+ km in range. The existing exo and endo-atmospheric interceptors have been demonstrated with direct hits during multiple tests.

Top DRDO sources indicate that a few more tests of each weapon will lead to preparations for induction into service. The reason why testing has not taken place so far for such an interceptor includes reasons of the country's geometry and geography, which precludes such an ambitious test. However, scientists at the Advanced Systems Laboratory and other agencies are working with the government to arrive at a solution, that will be a hybrid of simulated studies as well as field testing.