India has achieved an important step in defence technology by successfully test-firing its locally made Bhargavastra counter-drone system. This system, developed by Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL) and Economic Explosives Ltd (EEL), is meant to tackle the rising threat of hostile drone swarms. Such swarms have become a serious security concern for today’s armed forces.
The trials took place at the Seaward Firing Range in Gopalpur, Odisha, on 13 May 2025. Senior officials from the Army Air Defence (AAD) witnessed the event. The Bhargavastra system was tested three times: two tests involved firing single rockets, and one test involved firing two rockets together in quick succession. All four rockets performed as expected, showing that Bhargavastra is reliable and uses advanced technology to stop large-scale drone attacks.
Multi-Layered Defence Enhances Security
Bhargavastra uses a layered defence method. The first layer fires unguided micro rockets, which can destroy drone swarms within a 20-metre radius up to 2.5 km away. The second layer uses guided micro-missiles for accurate targeting, making sure even small and fast drones can be taken down. This layered approach helps the system deal with both groups of drones and single threats.
A key feature of Bhargavastra is that it can be used in different parts of India, including high-altitude areas above 5,000 metres. The system is mobile, so it can be moved quickly to where it is needed. Its radar can spot small aerial targets from 6 to 10 km away. It also has advanced sensors to help identify and track drones that are hard to detect.
Bhargavastra’s design allows for adding a “soft-kill” layer, which can use electronic jamming and spoofing to disrupt drones without destroying them. The system can also connect smoothly with India’s existing defence networks, thanks to its modern Command-and-Control Centre with C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) features. This ensures quick and informed responses to new aerial threats.
Bhargavastra can launch more than 64 micro missiles at once. This makes it a cost-effective and flexible answer to the ongoing problem of drone swarms, which are often cheap and hard to stop with older air defence systems. The development and successful testing of Bhargavastra is a big achievement under the “Make in India” programme. It boosts India’s self-reliance in key defence technology and gives the country a strong shield against new threats in modern warfare.
