India’s defensive capabilities have evolved significantly with the creation of the advanced loitering munition system known as Nagastra-3. With features like high endurance and autonomous attack capabilities, the Nagastra-3 is designed for long-range precise strikes with the goal of improving the operational effectiveness of the Indian Army.
Under a Project Sanction Order from the Ministry of Defence, Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited, a division of Solar Industries, is developing this system as part of India’s Make-I category project, which aims to promote domestic defence manufacture.
The foundation established by Nagastra-1 and Nagastra-2 is expanded upon by Nagastra-3. With more than 75% indigenous material, Nagastra-1 was India’s first indigenous loitering missile when it entered service in 2024.
With a maximum operating range of 30 km in autonomous mode, a 60-minute endurance, and a weight of about 30 kilogrammes, it was intended to be man-portable. Among its features were a parachute recovery mechanism enabling economical retrieval in the event that missions were cancelled and a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. Improvements including greater lethality with a 4-kilogram warhead and dual sensors for all-weather aiming were added in the later iteration, Nagastra-2.
With a range of up to 100 km and an endurance of more than five hours, Nagastra-3 is anticipated to provide even better performance. As part of the Medium Range Precision Kill System (MRPKS) effort, this next-generation weapon is being developed, demonstrating India’s dedication to defence technology independence. The design of the system attempts to offer a variety of deployment choices, maybe employing catapult or tube launch techniques.
All things considered, the creation of Nagastra-3 highlights India’s calculated attempts to increase its military prowess using domestic technology while lowering dependency on foreign defence systems. Nagastra-3 is expected to significantly improve the Indian Army’s operational preparedness and tactical adaptability in a range of combat situations as it moves through the prototype stage.
