India has achieved a significant breakthrough in hypersonic missile development after the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) of DRDO successfully completed a long-duration test of its actively cooled full-scale scramjet combustor.
The test was conducted on Saturday at the advanced Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) facility in Hyderabad. During the trial, the system achieved a runtime of more than 1,200 seconds, marking a major improvement over the earlier successful test of over 700 seconds conducted in January 2026.
The successful ground test is considered an important step forward in India’s hypersonic cruise missile development programme and strengthens the country’s position in advanced aerospace and next-generation defence technologies.
The achievement was made possible through the use of a supersonic air-breathing engine powered by indigenously developed liquid hydrocarbon endothermic fuel, along with advanced thermal barrier coating technology and modern manufacturing processes.
According to DRDO, the tests conducted at the SCPT facility successfully validated both the design of the advanced actively cooled scramjet combustor and the capability of the state-of-the-art testing infrastructure. The combustor was designed and developed by DRDL in collaboration with industry partners.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, industry partners, and academic institutions associated with the project. He described the achievement as a strong foundation for India’s hypersonic cruise missile programme.
DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat also praised the teams involved in the successful test and acknowledged their contribution to advancing India’s defence technology capabilities.
The latest achievement highlights India’s continued progress in indigenous aerospace innovation and strategic defence systems development.
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