Nuclear-armed India has tested its first hypersonic missile, the defence minister said on Sunday, publicising the superfast hi-tech weapon days after its regional rival China showcased its latest military aviation powers.
Hypersonics are the new frontier in missile technology, because they fly lower and are harder to detect than ballistic missiles, can reach targets more quickly, and can be ordered to change target in mid-flight.
The United States, Russia, China, and North Korea have all tested hypersonic missiles, and several others are developing the technology.
“India has achieved a major milestone by successfully conducting flight trial of long range hypersonic missile,” Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh said in a statement.
The test flight comes days after neighbour China showcased its expanding aviation capabilities at an air show in Zhuhai, with the J-35A stealth fighter jet and attack drones displayed.
That, according to China’s state media, included the debut of the HQ-19 surface-to-air missile system, designed to intercept ballistic missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles.
