Successful Flight Trials of India's VSHORADS Missile System: What You Need to Know

The Defence Ministry has announced the successful completion of three flight trials for the VSHORADS missile system off the coast of Odisha. This indigenous air defence system, developed by the DRDO, demonstrated its capability to neutralize high-speed aerial threats. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commended the efforts of the armed forces and industry partners, indicating that the system is on track for induction into the military. The trials validated the missile's effectiveness against various threat scenarios, showcasing India's advancements in defence technology. Read on to learn more about this significant achievement.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 28, 2026, 09:54 IST

Successful Trials of VSHORADS Missile System

New Delhi/Chandipur: On Friday, the Defence Ministry announced the successful completion of three flight trials for a very short-range air defence missile system from Chandipur, located off the Odisha coast. These trials aimed to validate the VSHORADS (Very Short Range Air Defence System) missile's ability to neutralize high-speed aerial threats across various speeds, ranges, and altitudes.

The VSHORADS is an indigenous man-portable air defence system, developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in partnership with other Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories and Indian industry collaborators. According to the ministry's statement, all flight tests successfully intercepted and destroyed high-speed aerial targets that simulated enemy aircraft under diverse threat scenarios, achieving all critical engagement points.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the DRDO, armed forces, and industry partners for the successful trials. He stated, "The three consecutive flight trials of VSHORADS mark a significant achievement, and the system is poised for induction into the armed forces soon." The ministry noted that flight data collected through various range instruments, including telemetry, electro-optical tracking systems, and radars from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, confirmed VSHORADS's effectiveness against a broad spectrum of aerial threats. These user validation trials were conducted in the presence of representatives from joint forces and senior officials from DRDO and development partners.