India successfully test fires SANT Missile

On October 19, 2020, India successfully test fired the Stand-Off Anti-Tank Missile called SANT. It was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization for the Indian Air Force. The missile was test fired at the Chandipur test range.

Highlights

The missile has both lock-on before launch and lock-on after launch capabilities.

SANT

SANT missile is a variant of Nag missile. The other variants of Nag missile are Helina (or Dhruvastra) and MP-ATGM. SANT is an upgraded version of HELINA. It was successfully tested in Pokhran in November 2018. This upgraded version of the Nag Missile has a nose-mounted active radar homing seeker with an extended range of 15 to 20 km.

HELINA is usually referred to as upgraded SANT.

Recent Test Fires

India has been frequently conducting missile tests. Of all the missile test fires, the missile test of Nirbhay was a failure. The recently conducted missile test fires are as follows

• RUDRAM anti-radiation missile
• A new version of shaurya missile
• LASER guided anti-tank missile
• Brahmos missile with an indigenous booster
• Prithvi II missile
• Test fire of RUSTOM II
• TORPEDO SMART
• Flight test of ABHYAS
• Test fire of Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle
• Flight Test of Naval Version of BRAHMOS
• Test fire of PRITHVI II
• Failed test of Nirbhay

India has been frequently conducting missile test fires and military exercises in the Indian Ocean Region. This is to counter Chinese plans of influencing Indian Ocean Region. India expects that China might take the same move as that of Ladakh in the Indian Ocean Region. Thus, India is sending continuous signals that it is prepared and has secured its maritime boundaries. India also has gained international support towards “free and open Indo-Pacific”. The countries supporting India’s actions in the Indian Ocean towards “free and open Indo-Pacific” are USA, Australia, Japan, Vietnam. France and Germany have also joined the Indo-Pacific club by taking a strategy towards region.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2020