India’s indigenous defence technology ecosystem is developing at a fast pace as compared to other countries, Defence and Development are two D’s that make a nation stronger and wiser. Swami Vivekananda said that “Strength is life, weakness is death. Expansion is life, contraction is death.” The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has been following this motto by successfully conducting flight trials of the latest version of its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3. The trials were conducted at the National Open Area Range (NOAR) in Kurnool Andhra Pradesh, giving a boost to the nation’s tactical strike capabilities and reflecting the improved cooperation between government and R&D agencies vision.
The ULPGM-V3 is an upgraded version of earlier tested and developed ULPGM-V2 missile. With precision engagement capability, this advanced missile system is reflection of India’s drive to develop high-technology warfare. It also has real-time surveillance-based accurate target detection system.
New Age of Precision Strike
ULPGM-V3 is a multirole guided missile to be launched from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), offering strategic advantage in contemporary warfare where precision and velocity play an important role. It has a high-definition dual-channel seeker, which allows it to strike targets with laser-like precision during the day and night and in different terrain scenarios such as plains and high-altitude areas.
This is not just a precise missile but also an extremely flexible one. It has a two-way data link, with the ability for operators to modify or even alter the target after launching, depending on real-time intelligence feeds. It is embedded with In-flight updates which play a crucial role in fluid battlefield conditions, where targets can encounter motion or changes quickly.
Lethal Payload with Multiple Configurations
ULPGM-V3 has modular warhead configuration, providing three distinct payload options designed for specialized combat requirements:
Anti-Armour Warhead: Capable of penetrating and destroying contemporary armoured vehicles with Rolled Homogeneous Armour (RHA) shielded by Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA).
Penetration-cum-Blast Warhead: Optimized for bunker-busting and piercing deep-buried targets, thus best suited for use in terrain battles against terrorists.
Pre-Fragmentation Warhead: Thrusts a high-lethality blast on a large radius, which is perfect for target engagement and troop concentrations.
This makes ULPGM-V3 more of a strategic asset rather than a weapon of its category, it can be used to support a wide range of military operations from anti-tank roles to surgical strikes on enemy fortifications.
Indigenous Innovation: A Collaborative Approach
ULPGM-V3 development marks the peak of India’s premier defence R&D labs and a new era in private sector involvement. DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Integrated Test Range (ITR) and Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL) collaborated to design, propel, guide and develop warhead technology for this missile.
This missile was test-fired from a UAV that has been designed and developed indigenously by Bengaluru based startup Newspace Research Technologies, demonstrating the maturity of India’s start-up ecosystem and the development of high-end defence hardware. DRDO is now actively seeking the integration of ULPGM systems with long-range, high-endurance UAVs which is being currently developed by other Indian companies.
Joining this collaborative achievement are the Development cum Production Partners (DcPPs) are Adani Defence and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Hyderabad. It also includes 30 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups at their best capacities to develop this high-impact weapons system.
Strategic Implications and Ministerial Endorsements
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, industry partners and MSMEs for this successful test saying “This success proves that the Indian industry is now ready to absorb and produce critical defence Technologies”, this milestone reflects our dedication to Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence.
In a major boost to India’s defence capabilities, @DRDO_India has successfully carried out flight trials of UAV Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3 in the National Open Area Range (NOAR), test range in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
Congratulations to DRDO and the industry… pic.twitter.com/KR4gzafMoQ
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) July 25, 2025
The Secretary of Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat said “The successful testing and development of ULPGM-V3 are a testament to the need for such indigenous systems in current-day warfare. It is a moment of pride for Indian engineering, science, and industry,”. The successful testing of this missile also supports India’s strategic objective of less dependence on foreign Defence systems, gaining self-reliance in key defence technologies.
Why ULPGM-V3 Matters
The ULPGM-V3 signifies a breakthrough in India’s battlefield capabilities for reasons. Firstly, it provides stand-off precision strikes that enable the military to target at a distance with ease, reducing the risks to lives. This fact is important in contemporary warfare, where tactically being able to surprise and survive is of utmost importance. Secondly, the missile promotes surveillance-strike integration, where live drone imagery and targeting of that imagery can be rapidly converted into an effective military response, enhancing operations speed with precision. Thirdly, it provides operational flexibility, capable of performing diverse missions from neutralizing enemy tanks to hitting hardened bunkers, with minimum collateral damage. At a geopolitical level, technologies such as the ULPGM-V3 place India in a position of readiness for quick deployment and credible deterrence, especially in the context of high-tension border situations and asymmetric warfare contexts.
With ULPGM-V3 successful flight trials, India has once again shown its growing power in indigenous Defence manufacture and advanced military technology. Integration of the missile with UAVs marks the beginning of next-generation warfare for Indian Defence forces marked by autonomous systems, precision warfare and network-centric warfare.
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