India Conducts Maiden Flight Trial of Indigenous TARA Weapon System

NEW DELHI, May 8: India has successfully carried out the maiden flight-trial of an indigenously developed glide weapon system, the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA), off the coast of Odisha, the Defence Ministry said on Friday.

The trial was conducted jointly by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF), marking a significant milestone in enhancing the country’s indigenous defence capabilities.

According to the ministry, TARA is India’s first indigenous glide weapon system designed to convert unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons, improving accuracy and lethality against ground-based targets.

The system has been designed and developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories, and incorporates state-of-the-art low-cost technologies.

The ministry said the weapon represents a major advancement in developing cost-effective precision strike capabilities for the armed forces.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the IAF and industry partners associated with the project, describing the successful maiden trial as a significant achievement in strengthening India’s self-reliance in defence. (Agencies)