India Seeks to Create New Rocket-Missile Force
Speaking at a media briefing ahead of India’s 78th Army Day on January 15, General Upendra Dwivedi, the Chief of the Army Staff, said the initiative is no longer optional.
“It is the need of the hour that we raise such a force,” he said. “Today, rockets and missiles complement each other… We are looking at a rocket-missile force as China and Pakistan have already raised their own rocket forces.”
He added: “The faster we organize it, the better it will be for our combat effectiveness.”
The remarks come as India faces growing security concerns along its borders. A suspected Pakistani drone was detected over Jaisalmer in the northwestern state of Rajasthan on Monday night, while additional drones were spotted in Jammu, prompting army fire, according to media.
Dwivedi said India’s director-general of military operations has formally warned his Pakistani counterpart that such drone activity is unacceptable.
Unmanned aerial systems have already proven decisive in recent hostilities. During a short but intense confrontation between India and Pakistan in May 2025, Indian air defenses intercepted more than 300 incoming aircraft.
According to Dwivedi, the proposed rocket-missile force could be centered on long-range Pinaka rockets, Pralay ballistic missiles, and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
In December, New Delhi carried out its first successful flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket, which reports say has a maximum strike range of 120 km (975 miles).
Pralay, an indigenously developed system, is designed to carry multiple types of warheads to engage a variety of targets.
The BrahMos missile is a ramjet-powered, long-range supersonic cruise weapon that can be launched from submarines, surface ships, fighter aircraft, and mobile autonomous launchers. Its manufacturer, BrahMos Aerospace, is a joint venture between DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya.
India has also been accelerating work on advanced bunker-buster capabilities, as neighboring Pakistan and China continue to maintain heavily fortified command and control facilities.
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