Quick answer: Pralay is a solid-fuel, quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile designed by DRDO, with a range of 150 to 500 km and a choice of conventional warheads. It is in the news because DRDO fired it from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, off the Odisha coast on 3 November 2026. Reports say it struck two simulated targets about 500 km away.
Why the Pralay missile is in the news
All India Radio and several defence news outlets reported that the missile lifted off from Launch Complex-3 at ITR Chandipur in Balasore district on 3 November 2026. They said it engaged two simulated targets placed roughly 500 km downrange. Some reports put its speed at about Mach 5. The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for the test covered a 595 km danger zone.
As a precaution, more than 2,500 people living within 2 km of the range were moved to temporary shelters until the launch was over. At the time of writing we had not found a detailed DRDO or PIB press release on this test, so the figures above come from media reports.
Key facts about Pralay
- Type: conventional, surface-to-surface, quasi-ballistic missile. It can change course in flight, including in the final phase, which makes interception harder.
- Range: 150 km to 500 km, according to the Ministry of Defence.
- Fuel: a solid-propellant motor, so the missile can be stored ready to fire.
- Lead laboratory: Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad. It worked with DRDL, ASL, ARDE, HEMRL, DMRL, TBRL, R&DE (Engineers) and ITR.
- Production partners: Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which put the system together for the trials.
- Launcher: a road-mobile 12×12 high-mobility vehicle. It is being built for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.
- Public display: the Pralay launcher took part in the rehearsals for the 76th Republic Day Parade on Kartavya Path in January 2025.
Pralay test timeline
| Date | Launch site | What was tested |
|---|---|---|
| 22 December 2021 | Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island | First flight; reached a target at about 400 km |
| 23 December 2021 | Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island | Second flight with a heavier payload, to full 500 km range |
| 7 November 2023 | Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island | Further flight test; mission objectives met |
| 28–29 July 2025 | Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island | Two back-to-back flights checking maximum and minimum range |
| 31 December 2025 | ITR Chandipur | Two missiles fired in quick succession from one launcher (salvo), as part of user evaluation trials |
| 3 November 2026 | ITR Chandipur, Launch Complex-3 | Reported strike on two simulated targets around 500 km away |
After the December 2025 salvo, DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat said the system was close to being ready for induction.
Ballistic vs quasi-ballistic: why it matters
A normal ballistic missile follows a fixed arc after its motor burns out. Once radar picks it up, defenders can work out where it will land. A quasi-ballistic missile like Pralay keeps a lower, flatter path and can manoeuvre in flight, which gives air defences less time and less certainty.
Two Odisha sites appear often in missile news. ITR is DRDO’s test centre at Chandipur in Balasore district. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, earlier called Wheeler Island, was renamed on 4 September 2015 and is used for tests of Agni, Prithvi, BrahMos and other missiles.
Exam angle: how NDA, CDS and CAPF can ask this
- Defence GK questions often pair a missile with its type (surface-to-air, surface-to-surface, anti-tank) or its range band. Learn Pralay as a surface-to-surface, quasi-ballistic, 150–500 km missile.
- Match-the-developer questions: link Pralay with Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad (design) and with BDL and BEL (production).
- Geography of test ranges: both Chandipur in Balasore district and Abdul Kalam Island (formerly Wheeler Island) are on the Odisha coast.
Practice MCQs
Q1. The Pralay missile test of 3 November 2026 was carried out from:
(a) Sriharikota (b) Integrated Test Range, Chandipur (c) Pokhran (d) Thumba
Answer: (b). It was fired from Launch Complex-3 at ITR Chandipur, Odisha.
Q2. Which DRDO laboratory is the lead developer of Pralay?
(a) DRDL, Hyderabad (b) ARDE, Pune (c) Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad (d) LRDE, Bengaluru
Answer: (c). RCI led the programme, with other DRDO labs in support.
Q3. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island was earlier known as:
(a) Wheeler Island (b) Ross Island (c) Havelock Island (d) Neil Island
Answer: (a). It was renamed on 4 September 2015.
Q4. Which statement about Pralay is correct?
(a) It is a liquid-fuelled cruise missile (b) It is a solid-fuelled quasi-ballistic surface-to-surface missile (c) It is a surface-to-air missile (d) It carries only nuclear warheads
Answer: (b). Pralay uses a solid motor, flies a quasi-ballistic path and carries conventional warheads.
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Pralay missile?
The Ministry of Defence gives its strike range as 150 km to 500 km. In the 3 November 2026 test it reportedly hit simulated targets about 500 km away.
Who developed Pralay?
DRDO developed it, with Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, as the lead lab. Bharat Dynamics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited are the development-cum-production partners.
Where was the November 2026 Pralay test held?
It was held at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, in Balasore district of Odisha, from Launch Complex-3.
What is a quasi-ballistic missile?
It is a missile that flies lower than a normal ballistic missile and can manoeuvre during flight. This makes its path harder for enemy radars and interceptors to predict.
When was Pralay first tested?
The first flight test took place on 22 December 2021 from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha. A second flight followed the next day.
Also read on NCA: AIM-120 AMRAAM missile | Monthly defence current affairs PDFs | NDA coaching in Chandigarh
Sources: Newsd Defence, Odisha Bytes, The Defense News, IANS (Ministry of Defence statement, Dec 2025), All India Radio, Wikipedia: Pralay. Facts as reported up to 5 November 2026.
Featured image background: Ministry of Defence / Wikimedia Commons, GODL-India.
