Pralay is a solid-fuelled, quasi-ballistic short-range surface-to-surface missile developed by DRDO for tactical battlefield strike roles, designed to combine ballistic-missile speed with manoeuvrable, cruise-missile-like flight characteristics that complicate interception by enemy air-defence systems.[1]
Pralay has a strike range of roughly 150–500 km and reaches speeds exceeding Mach 5 during its mid-course phase, executing atmospheric manoeuvres in flight before a steep, high-speed (roughly Mach 4) terminal dive onto its target — a “quasi-ballistic” flight profile intended to defeat conventional ballistic-missile-defence radar tracking and interception solutions by not following a fully predictable ballistic arc.[1]
DRDO conducted consecutive/salvo flight tests of Pralay, including two rapid-succession launches from the Odisha coast around 31 December 2025, as part of the missile’s final validation campaign. India completed the missile’s test programme by early 2025-2026, clearing the final step toward mass production; user trials were expected to conclude in 2026, paving the way for induction into the Indian Armed Forces as a tactical conventional strike weapon.[2][1]
| Type | Solid-fuel, quasi-ballistic short-range surface-to-surface missile |
| Developer | DRDO |
| Range | 150–500 km |
| Speed | Exceeds Mach 5 (mid-course); ~Mach 4 terminal dive |
| Flight profile | Manoeuvrable quasi-ballistic (mid-course atmospheric manoeuvres + steep terminal dive) |
| Warhead | Conventional (tactical strike role) |
| Recent trials | Consecutive/salvo launches, Odisha coast, late Dec 2025 |
| Status (2026) | Test campaign complete; user trials concluding, induction pending |