The India-Pakistan standoff in May 2025 put the region on the brink, with India aggressively attacking civilian and military targets in Pakistan. However, during the conflict, India lost 6-7 fighter aircraft and had to ask for a ceasefire. After the crisis, India has gone on a spree of missile tests, nine so far, to improve and enhance its standoff weapon capabilities. Indian ambitions are inherently destabilizing for both crisis and arms race stability in the region. The conflict marked a notable shift toward emerging non-contact warfare, where states increasingly rely on drones, missiles, and fighter jets instead of direct ground assaults. Since then, India has accelerated the development and validation of its missile arsenal to improve their operational credibility. They are aiming to pursue multi-layer options, from short-range to intermediate-range ballistic missiles, demonstrating their intention to adopt such options in future conflicts. This also highlights the Indian leadership’s goal to further lower the nuclear threshold and find opportunities to fight a war under nuclear overhang. Similarly, Indian leadership has repeatedly stated that Operation Sindoor is not over yet.
Therefore, this fact sheet includes the technical parameters of missiles tested since the May 2025 conflict. Additionally, it details the characteristics and specifications of these tested missiles, explaining how they pose a threat to strategic stability. Pakistan, on its part, gave a befitting response to Indian misadventure through its Quid Pro Quo Plus strategy, giving a very responsible, proportionate, and mature responseThe following table presents a detailed account of India’s missile testing activity since the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.
Astra (BVR AAM)
Astra is an all-weather Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Air-to-Air Missile (AAM), which can precisely target up to 110 km. Astra AAM incorporates the Ku-band seekers, which have replaced the Russian 9B-1103m X-band seeker. This allows seekers to achieve higher resolution using smaller antennas, thus improving performance. Similarly, the missile is 3.57 meters long, making it compatible with Su-30 MKI, Mirage 2000, and Tejas. Furthermore, it is retrofitted with ramjet engines to enable high kinetic performance, allowing it to engage highly maneuvering targets at ranges under 110 km.
Extended Trajectory-Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile
On 14 July 2025, it is reported that DRDO conducted a test of the Extended Trajectory Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM) under the classified Project Vishnu. While no official specifications have been confirmed, sources claim that it is powered by a scramjet (air-breathing) engine and can reach speeds of up to Mach 8, with a range of around 1,500 km. Furthermore, it can carry payloads of both conventional and nuclear warheads weighing up to 1,000-2,000 kg. The HCM can be launched from land, sea, or air platforms. Its high speed, low-altitude flight, and maneuverability make it very hard to detect and intercept.
Akash Prime
Akash Prime is an advanced variant of the surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, designed for all weather and operating at high altitude above 4500 meters, retrofitted with an advanced Radio Frequency (RF) seeker. Additionally, a dual-propulsion system and a more sophisticated RF seeker and guidance system have been integrated into this missile. The SAM is integrated with a ramjet-rocket propulsion system, which allows maneuverability and high-speed targeting at high altitudes. The missile has an effective interception range up to 25-30km and can engage targets up to an altitude of 20 km. It is supposed to be utilized against aerial threats, such as cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. This SAM is indigenously designed and is supposed to provide defence against aerial threats.
Prithvi-II
Prithvi II is a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) with a range up to 250-350km. The missile is a single-staged, liquid-fueled missile and requires on-site fueling before launching. This can be launched through TELV (Transporter Erector Launch Vehicle). The guidance system has been advanced with an inertial navigation system (INS), reducing the Circular Error Probable (CEP) to less than 40 meters. TELV and lowering CEP ensure the survivability and precision of this Prithvi II.
Agni-I
Agni I is also an SRBM, with a range up to 700-1200 km, which is also a single-staged missile but uses solid fuel. The missile can possibly canisterized and can be launched rapidly during a crisis through TELV. It is capable of carrying nuclear as well as conventional warheads. The propulsion system provides a rapid boost, which is enough to maneuver the interceptors and the defence system. Agni I is retrofitted with advanced RLG-INS (Ring Laser Gyroscopes-Inertial Navigation System), which enables the missiles’ post-thrust navigation during unpowered midcourse and terminal trajectory. Thus, reducing the CEP up to 25-40 meters.
ULPGM-V3
On July 25, 2025, DRDO successfully demonstrated the test launch of the Advanced Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile-V3. It is an air-to-surface capability and can be launched using UAV systems. The ULPGM is equipped with day and night capabilities and has a two-way data link to support pre-launch and post-launch operational updates. It is equipped with infrared imaging capabilities to enable night operations. The range is between 2.5 km to 4km. Similarly, it is equipped with three warhead options: Anti-armour, where it uses Rolled Homogenous Armour (RHA) and Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA). Secondly, Penetration-cum blast warhead to perform anti-bunker operations. Third, a pre-fragmentation warhead combined with airbursts or a proximity fuze to destroy the target at optimum height for maximum area effect.
Pralay
Pralay is a surface-to-surface, single-stage, solid-propellant quasi-ballistic missile with an estimated range of 150–500 km and a conventional payload capacity of 350–700 kg. Its key features include a depressed trajectory and terminal maneuverability, which complicate interception and enhance survivability against missile-defense systems. The CEP is approximately 10 meters, indicating the missile’s accuracy. Furthermore, the missile is canisterized, which uses solid propellant for its launching, which shows its ability to rapidly launch during a crisis.
Agni-V
Agni-V is a three-stage, solid-fuel, road-mobile, canisterized Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with an estimated range between 5000-8000 km and a payload capacity of around 1,500 kg. Recent tests and retrofits have focused on upgraded avionics and a Ring-Laser-Gyro INS, along with improved post-boost and terminal guidance. Trials validated re-entry vehicle performance and the integration of decoys/penetration aids, indicating potential for future MIRV capability. The canisterization provides operational readiness and rapid responses.
Agni Prime (Agni-P)
Agni Prime is a new-generation, advanced medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) intended to replace the Agni-I and Agni-II missiles. It is a two-stage, solid-fueled, canister-launched missile with a range of 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers. Its most significant technical advancements include a new composite rocket motor casing for weight reduction, a maneuverable re-entry vehicle (MaRV) for enhanced penetration against anti-ballistic missile systems, and improved propellants for a shorter boost phase. Equipped with indigenous ring-laser gyroscopes and satellite-based navigation, it offers significantly higher accuracy, reliability, and a faster response time, enabling the rapid launch. One of the significant characteristics of this missile is that it is a rail-based mobile launch system, which ensures stealth and survivability. India is the fifth country in the world to have deployed a rail-based system; China, North Korea, the US, and the Soviet Union have already implemented rail-based systems. However, the Soviet Union later retired its rail-based system.
ConclusionIndia’s intense missile testing post-Pahalgam is a dangerous and irresponsible behavior. Instead of encouraging confidence-building measures and dialogue, India’s actions are pushing the region toward a crisis and an arms race, ultimately leading to strategic instability in South Asia. The rapid increase following the Pahalgam incident and the four-day conflict is worrisome. Repeated testing and revalidation of missiles, along with air-defense systems, suggest that India may be exploring counterforce first-strike options, even while claiming a No-First Use (NFU) policy. This is destabilizing because it forces the adversary into a “use-it-or-lose-it†situation. Pakistan, however, is not caught in such a dilemma; it has the capacity and ability to respond to changing threats. Still, during the “fog of war,†even a small mistake could accidentally escalate the situation, with disastrous consequences.
Prepared by:
Mr Malik Kashif & Mr Saad Riaz
Reviewed by:
Mr Abdul Moiz Khan
Mr Malik Muhammad Kashif is Research Assistant at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad.
Mr Saad Riaz is Research Fellow at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad
Abdul Moiz Khan is Research Officer at the Center for International Strategic Studies (CISS), Islamabad.
