India carries out maiden flight-trial of new weapon system TARA

India successfully conducted the first flight test of its indigenously developed glide weapon system off the Odisha coast.

According to the statement made by the Ministry of Defense, the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) system, developed to transform unguided warheads into precision guided weapons, was tested on Thursday, May 7, 2026.

“The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted the first flight test of the TARA weapon off the Odisha coast,” the statement said.

It was stated that TARA is India’s first indigenous glide weapon system that converts unguided warheads into precision guided weapons.

“The weapon system has been designed and developed by the Imarat Research Center (RCI) in Hyderabad and other DRDO laboratories to enhance the lethality and accuracy of a low-cost weapon to neutralize ground targets,” the ministry said in a statement. he said.

“This is the first glide weapon to use state-of-the-art low-cost systems,” he added. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, Indian Air Force and industry partners involved in the project for the first flight test of the weapon system.

He described it as a significant development in the development of India’s indigenous defense capabilities.