Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) have completed the first flight-trial of the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon in Odisha. TARA is India’s initial indigenous glide weapon system that transforms unguided warheads into precision guided weapons, as per the Defence Ministry.
The Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, praised DRDO, IAF, DcPP, and the industry for this significant milestone in enhancing India’s indigenous defense capabilities. TARA, developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad and other DRDO labs, aims to boost the effectiveness and precision of a low-cost weapon against ground targets.
This glide weapon incorporates cutting-edge low-cost systems and has been created in collaboration with Development cum Production Partners (DcPP) and other Indian industries, which have already commenced production. Dr. Samir V Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, also commended the teams involved in the successful flight-trial.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh emphasized the government’s focus on defense research, highlighting that DRDO has transferred 2,200 technologies to various industries. At the ‘North Tech Symposium,’ he stressed the need for continuous research efforts and adaptability to technological advancements to ensure preparedness in today’s era of rapid technological change.
Singh mentioned that a quarter of the defense R&D budget has been allocated to industry, academia, and start-ups, with over Rs 4,500 crore already utilized by these sectors.
