The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) have successfully conducted the maiden flight trial of the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon off the coast of Odisha.
The flight trial was conducted on Thursday, 7 May 2026, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on 8 May 2026.
The ministry said that TARA, the modular range extension kit, is India’s first indigenous glide weapon system to convert unguided warheads into precision guided weapons.
The weapon system has been designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, along with other DRDO laboratories.
According to the ministry, TARA has been developed to enhance the lethality and accuracy of a low-cost weapon for neutralising ground-based targets.
The ministry said TARA is also the first glide weapon to utilise state-of-the-art low-cost systems.
The development of the kit has been undertaken with Development cum Production Partners (DcPP) and other Indian industries.
The ministry said these partners have already started production activity, indicating that the programme has moved beyond the development stage into an industrial production-linked phase.
By converting unguided warheads into precision guided weapons, the TARA system is intended to improve accuracy and operational effectiveness without depending entirely on new-build precision munitions.
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Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, the IAF, DcPP and the industry for the maiden flight trial.
He described the development as a significant development in advancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities.
Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Samir V Kamat also congratulated the teams associated with the successful flight trial.
The development adds to India’s ongoing focus on indigenous defence systems, especially weapons that can improve precision, extend operational reach and reduce dependence on imported systems.
TARA’s modular design and its ability to convert unguided warheads into precision guided weapons make it a notable addition to India’s glide weapon development efforts.
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