Ahmedabad/New Delhi: In a major boost to India’s indigenous defence capabilities, and successfully conducted the maiden flight-trial of the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon system off the coast of Odisha on May 7, 2026. TARA is India’s first indigenous glide weapon system designed to convert unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons through a modular range extension kit. The successful trial marks a significant milestone in strengthening India’s self-reliant defence technology ecosystem.
The weapon system has been designed and developed by , Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories. The advanced system aims to improve the lethality, range, and accuracy of low-cost weapons for effectively neutralising ground-based targets. According to officials, TARA is the first glide weapon in the country to utilise state-of-the-art low-cost systems, making it a technologically advanced yet economical solution for modern warfare requirements. The project has also been developed with active participation from Development cum Production Partners (DcPP) and several Indian industries, which have already initiated production activities.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, IAF, DcPP, and industry partners for the successful maiden trial. He termed the achievement a major step forward in enhancing India’s indigenous defence preparedness and technological strength. Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat also congratulated the teams associated with the successful flight-trial and appreciated their contribution towards advancing India’s defence innovation capabilities.