Veteran DRDO scientist Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra stated at the Powering Bharat Summit on May 16, 2025, that India is poised to make a major defense breakthrough with the impending unveiling of an indigenous hypersonic missile. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has reached a significant milestone by successfully testing a hypersonic engine, according to Dr. Mishra, the former Director General of DRDO and former CEO of BrahMos Aerospace.
This makes India one of the world leaders in hypersonic technology and opens the door for the launch of a missile system that can reach Mach 5 speeds.
A change in India’s defense strategy from merely displaying strength to promoting a strong, innovation-driven industrial ecosystem is reflected in the hypersonic missile project. Dr. Mishra emphasized that DRDO created all of the BrahMos missile’s technologies internally, including the largest launcher in the world. He emphasized that other countries are considering integrating Indian missile systems due to their dependability and effectiveness, highlighting the defense technology’s competitiveness on a worldwide scale.
An important development is the recent testing of the scramjet engine, which is essential for prolonged hypersonic flight. After testing an active cooled scramjet combustor for 120 seconds in January, DRDO’s Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) in Hyderabad carried out a long-duration ground test for more than 1,000 seconds in April 2025.
This accomplishment shows that India’s hypersonic cruise missile program is getting closer to operational status and verifies the design and preparedness for extensive flight testing. Because air-breathing engines enable hypersonic cruise missiles to sustain speeds beyond 6,100 km/h (Mach 5) for prolonged periods of time, they are very challenging to intercept and very effective for quick, high-impact attacks.
Additionally, the summit brought to light more general patterns in Indian defense innovation. The Ministry of Defence is increasing its attempts to purchase state-of-the-art ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) systems, demonstrating India’s proactive attitude to drone technology, according to Lt Gen (Dr) Inderjit Singh. The Drone Federation of India’s president, Smit Shah, attributed the expansion of the domestic drone industry and the promotion of local intellectual property to regulatory changes.
In order to guarantee uncompromised performance, Dr. Mishra emphasized the significance of quality and technical supremacy in defense procurement and argued in favor of choosing the best technical offer (T1) over the lowest bidder (L1). Predicting that just a small number of the 400 drone businesses already in operation would endure over the long term, he also emphasized the necessity of consolidation in the defense industrial ecosystem to improve efficiency and sustainability.
With the support of recent technological advancements and a deliberate emphasis on domestic innovation, India’s hypersonic missile program is poised to usher in a new era in the country’s defense capabilities. In addition to strengthening India’s military deterrence, the successful development and impending launch of a Mach 5 missile will solidify its position as the world’s leading hypersonic power.
