In a significant boost to India’s indigenous defence capabilities, the country has successfully conducted flight trials of the UAV Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 at the National Open Area Range (NOAR) in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on Friday.
Taking to social media platform X, Singh congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and its industry partners—including Development-cum-Production Partners (DcPPs), MSMEs, and startups—for achieving this milestone.
“Congratulations to DRDO and the industry partners… This success proves that the Indian industry is now ready to absorb and produce critical defence technologies,” the post read.
The ULPGM-V3 is part of a broader push under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, aimed at enhancing self-reliance in defence production and reducing dependence on imports.
Earlier in May, the Indian Army conducted extensive Capacity Development Demonstrations across multiple key testing locations such as the Pokhran, Babina, and Joshimath Field Firing Ranges, integrating electronic warfare simulations to assess advanced systems under near-combat conditions.
The demonstrations showcased a wide range of indigenously developed high-tech platforms, including:
- UAV Launched Precision Guided Munitions (ULPGM)
- Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
- Runway Independent RPAS
- Loitering Munitions
- Specialised Vertical Launch Drones
- Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction Systems (IDDIS)
- Low-Level Light Weight Radars
- Next-Gen VSHORADS IR Systems
- Electronic Warfare Platforms
Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, had personally visited the Babina range on May 27 to review these cutting-edge demonstrations and interact with the stakeholders.
These trials mark a key milestone in the Army’s “Decade of Transformation” initiative and signal a strong collaboration between the armed forces and domestic defence manufacturers to meet evolving battlefield needs.
