The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India is currently developing a new high-calibre Pinaka rocket with a range of 120 km. An official from DRDO informed Janes at Aero India 2025 in Bangalore that the development of this new Pinaka rocket variant began in 2024 and is already in an advanced stage, with the first test expected in October 2025.
The new rocket variant’s calibre was not disclosed by the official, but they suggested it could be similar to the Russian Smerch rockets, which have a calibre of 300 mm and have been in service with the Indian Army since 2007.
The new longer-range rocket variant will be launched from the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL), and a new pod will be fitted to the Pinaka MBRL to launch it. The existing Pinaka family includes 214 mm fin-stabilized, solid-propellant, guided and unguided rockets, launched from 214 mm Pinaka MBRLs.
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DRDO is also working on additional Pinaka variants, including one with a range of 120 km, and another with a range of over 200 km. The Indian Army has approved the development of these new variants. The 120 km rocket will maintain the same calibre as earlier variants (214 mm), allowing it to be fired from existing launchers.
The DRDO is also creating specialized naval variants of the Pinaka system, designed for underwater operations and submarine countermeasures, with a range of 75km and the first trial scheduled this year.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is also considering adopting modified Pinaka systems as a cost-effective alternative to more expensive options like the Pralay missile, including both surface-to-surface and air-to-surface capabilities for Su-30 aircraft.
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Agencies
