Page 26 - Mann ki Baat - English

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi
mentioned about the successful flight
test of Long-Range Land Attack Cruise
Missile (LR-LACM) by DRDO in his 'Mann
ki Baat' address, it was not just a routine

recognition of a successful military test of
a missile, it was a public acknowledgment
of a quiet but profound shift in India’s
intent to develop its indigenous cruise
missile ecosystem. This has become

even more relevant considering the
current global geopolitical situation.
The successful second flight test of LR-
Sanjeev Kumar
Secretary LACM from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island
Department of Defence off the coast of Odisha on 15 June,
Production
2026 demonstrated the maturation of
indigenous cruise missile systems central
FORGING to India’s evolving deterrence doctrine.

Considering the geopolitical
INDIA’S situation around the globe and the

LONG RANGE ever-increasing defence capabilities
of our adversaries, it is strategically
PRECISION essential for India to have a long-range
weapon system with precision strike
STRIKE capability. For decades, India’s long-

range precision strike capability in
CAPABILITY cruise missiles was synonymous with

the BrahMos missile developed by M/s
BrahMos Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. However,

modern warfare demands architectural

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