Mon Nov 18 15:00:00 UTC 2024: ## India Successfully Tests Hypersonic Anti-Ship Missile, Expanding its Military Reach
**NEW DELHI –** India has successfully tested a hypersonic anti-ship missile, significantly bolstering its military capabilities and sending a strong message to neighboring countries, including Pakistan and China. The test, conducted on November 16th, 2024, showcased a missile capable of speeds exceeding 11,000 km/h with a range of 1,500 km. This places the entire territory of Pakistan and approximately 45-46% of China within its strike range.
Retired Lieutenant General D.P. Vats lauded the achievement, highlighting that this technology is currently possessed by only a select few nations, including Russia and China, with the US still in the testing phase. The missile’s hypersonic speed and maneuverability make it virtually impossible for enemy defenses to intercept.
The maneuverability is a key advantage over conventional ballistic missiles, which can be tracked and potentially countered. The hypersonic missile’s ability to change course mid-flight makes it exceptionally difficult to detect and intercept. This, according to General Vats, acts as a powerful deterrent, ensuring a mutually assured destruction scenario – a crucial element in maintaining peace with nuclear-armed neighbors like China and Pakistan.
While acknowledging that India’s Agni missile boasts a longer range, capable of targeting the entirety of China, General Vats emphasized the hypersonic missile’s unique advantages. Its speed, maneuverability, and near-undetectability significantly enhance India’s defensive and offensive capabilities. The Defense Minister has publicly commended the scientists for this major breakthrough. The successful test firmly establishes India among a select group of nations with this advanced technology.
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