All about ‘Bhargavastra’, an indigenous counter-drone system successfully test-fired in Odisha

In a major breakthrough in anti-drone warfare, India successfully test-fired its indigenous low-cost, hard-kill counter-swarm drone system, ‘Bhargavastra’, at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur along Odisha coast on Wednesday. 

Developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL), the system is designed to neutralise modern aerial threats, especially drone swarms, and is being hailed as a significant advancement in India's air defence arsenal.

The trials, conducted in the presence of senior officials from the Army Air Defence (AAD), included three successful tests on May 13—two individual rocket firings and one in salvo mode. All four rockets hit their performance targets, confirming the system's operational readiness.

Multi-Layered Defence Solution

‘Bhargavastra’ uses unguided micro rockets capable of destroying multiple drones within a 20-metre lethal radius up to a range of 2.5 km. A second layer includes guided micro-missiles for precision targeting, which have already undergone successful testing. A soft-kill layer—comprising jamming and spoofing technologies—can also be integrated for comprehensive protection.

Technological Highlights

The system is equipped with a Command-and-Control Centre featuring C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) capabilities. Its radar system can detect threats at 6–10 km, while EO/IR (Electro-Optical/Infrared) sensors provide accurate identification of low radar cross-section (LRCS) targets.

Importantly, ‘Bhargavastra’ is fully compatible with network-centric warfare systems, allowing for rapid, coordinated responses in the event of a drone swarm attack.

Built for Challenging Terrain

Designed for deployment in diverse terrains, the system can operate efficiently in high-altitude areas above 5,000 metres, making it ideal for India’s mountainous and strategic defence zones.

A ‘Make in India’ Milestone

SDAL emphasized that both the rocket and missile components were developed in-house, underlining the system’s indigenous foundation. Officials note that no other nation has yet deployed a cost-effective, modular, multi-layered anti-drone system like ‘Bhargavastra’.

This development aligns with India’s broader defence self-reliance goals and positions the country as a global innovator in the fast-evolving domain of unmanned aerial threat mitigation.