India Inc. is famous for producing high end software,  frugal family cars, and effective pharmaceuticals and FMCG products. Soon, it will add an exciting product to this list: Missiles. 

According to reports, the Govt of India has been mulling the decision to allow private players to develop and build missiles. The private sector is already engaged in the production of aircraft, tanks, submarines and guns - big and small, but this will be the first time private players will try their hand at creating precision guided munitions.

Astra Makes its Mark

According to a report published by Hindustan Times, the Defence Ministry may soon release a Request for Proposal or RFP calling for private firms and organisations to produce the Astra Mark 2 Missile.

The Astra Mark 2 is a Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile or BVRAAM with a range of about 180-200 km. The missile is planned to be integrated with a number of IAF fighter platforms including the Tejas Mark 1-A, MiG-29, Su-30 MKI and Dassault Rafales.

Just a glance at conflicts from the last few years in Ukraine, Gaza and closer home in Op Sindoor, reveals the need for large numbers of standoff weapons and munitions.There has therefore been an increase in orders for indigenous missiles from the Indian armed forces. Furthermore, friendly foreign nations including Indonesia, which has just signed a deal for the BrahMos, has shown an interest in getting the Astra.

As of now only the state-owned Bharat Dynamics Ltd produced the Astra, but Bharat Dynamics is simply unable to fully meet the rising demand. As such the entry of private players like Bharat Forge, the Tata Group, the Mahindra Group and ICOMM may be able to help. With the inclusion of the private enterprises, the government is aiming at expanding production capacity and supporting defence exports.

Make in India to the Rescue

The purported plans to privatise missile manufacturing also align with the government’s Make in India initiative. In 2025-2026, Indian defence exports hit an unprecedented high of ₹38,424 crore (approximately $4.11 billion USD).

With the BrahMos and Astra making a mark in the export market, the Pralay Missile seems to be the next big thing for India. Developed indigenously, the Pralay is a short-range, surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missile with a range of 150–500 km. Carrying a payload of 350–1,000 kg,  Pralay takes a quasi-ballistic flight profile, flying low to evade enemy air-defence systems and strikes targets at terminal speeds of up to Mach 6.1.
 

Deepak Bhadana

Over the past decade, Deepak Bhadana has built expertise in multimedia storytelling, with a focus on military conflicts, insurgencies, international relations, the defence industry, and occasionally, wildlife and environmental issues.