On January 26, 2026, during the 77th Republic Day parade, India unveiled the Long-Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LRAShM), developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), to the public for the first time. Displayed at the official parade on Kartavya Path, the system has now entered India’s indigenous defense technology inventory.
Technical Specifications of LRAShM
Developed to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Navy, the LRAShM system has the following technical features:
Place in Inventory: Shaurya is India’s first indigenously developed nuclear-capable hypersonic missile; LRAShM is the country’s second indigenous hypersonic missile.
Range and Speed: The missile has a range of over 1,500 kilometers and reaches its target in approximately 15 minutes at hypersonic speed.
Operational Capability: Its advanced aerodynamic design makes it difficult to detect by enemy radars and air defense systems. The system is capable of neutralizing warships of all classes in the ocean.
Future Projection: DRDO is working on both hypersonic glide and hypersonic cruise missile technologies for this system. In future phases, the development of variants with a range of 3,500 kilometers is planned.
Parade and Diplomatic Participation
The parade, attended by European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as chief guests, marked the first Republic Day event with EU leadership participation at this level. In addition to LRAShM, other indigenous military platforms such as the Dhanush artillery system, Akash (L) launcher, Suryastra Universal Rocket Launcher System, and Akash air defense missiles were also displayed during the parade.
Source: C4Defence
