India is set for a technological leap in the military sphere with the upcoming launch of its Dhvani hypersonic missile, expected at year’s end 2025. This missile is several times faster, stealthier and more precise than all hypersonic weapons and also serves the long-range requirement,” he said adding that India was now among a handful of countries – the US, Russia and China, which have operationalised such missiles.
The Dhvani missile is an Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) that can travel at speeds greater than Mach 6— approximately 7,400 km/h. — almost twice as fast compared to the world-famous BrahMos cruise missile. This extreme velocity and nimble flight maneuvers during descent makes it all but impossible to intercept with modern missile defense systems like Israel’s Iron Dome or the US THAAD.
With an estimated range of 6,000 to 10,000 kilometers (3,730 to 6,200 miles), Dhvani could more than double the range of India’s longest-range ballistic missile — Agni-V missile. And with the missile’s low-altitude hypersonic flight path, state-of-art thermal protection made of ultra-high temperature ceramic composite and stealth-optimized contours with inwardly canted wave-rider surfaces to lower its radar cross-section make it highly visible.
Dhvani has been developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) using homegrown technologies demonstrated during the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) trials, such as a critical scramjet propulsion and advanced heat shielding. The missile is designed for land and sea strike applications, delivering pin-point accuracy at high speeds of 300-500 km/h with payloads ranging from 300-500 kg carrying conventional as well as nuclear warheads.
That hypersonic weapons program is part of India’s larger 15-year defense modernization plan unveiled in 2025 that includes the integration of advanced technologies including AI, autonomous systems, next-generation tanks running on electricity, nuclear propulsion for all naval vessels, laser weapons and space warfare capabilities. With a broader vision to reorient India’s military posture and preparedness in face of the challenges thrown up by warfare of tomorrow.
Succesfful deployment of Dhvani missile would give India an incredible strategic deterrence advantage, bolstering its regional security and global power status. The union of its speed, stealth and precision strike technology could transform the military balance in South Asia and make sure that enemies have a much higher chance of missing their interception attempts and getting hit.
To conclude, the induction of India to hypersonic weapons club that uses the Dhvani missile program rechannels its defense potential. Its showcase is illustrative of indigenous technological capabilities in next generation missile technology and reiterates India’s commitment to further strengthen min-future military advantage, especially given the constantly changing global security situation.