India ULPGM-V3.
India Successfully Tests Advanced Precision-Guided Missile ULPGM-V3 Launched from UAV: Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh | July 25, 2025 — In a significant stride toward enhancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) today announced the successful flight-trials of the latest variant of its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM-V3) at the National Open Area Range (NOAR) in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.
The ULPGM-V3 represents a cutting-edge leap from its predecessor, the ULPGM-V2, offering improved targeting accuracy and battlefield versatility. According to DRDO, the new missile features a high-definition dual-channel seeker, day-and-night operational capability, and a two-way data link that allows in-flight target and aim-point updates—an essential feature for modern combat scenarios.
Crucially, the V3 variant boasts modular warhead options, including:
Anti-armour warhead, capable of defeating modern armored vehicles equipped with Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA),
Penetration-cum-blast warhead for bunker-busting applications, and
Pre-fragmentation warhead, designed for high lethality in area-denial missions.
The current round of testing focused on the Anti-armour configuration.
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The missile was launched from an indigenously developed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) built by Newspace Research Technologies, a Bengaluru-based start-up. This collaboration underscores a growing ecosystem of Indian start-ups and private enterprises contributing to critical defence projects. The development of the missile involved several DRDO labs including the Research Centre Imarat, Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, High-Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Integrated Test Range, and the Defence Electronics Research Laboratory.
The project saw joint execution by major industry players such as Adani Defence and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), designated as Development cum Production Partners (DcPPs). Over 30 MSMEs and start-ups also played crucial roles, highlighting the strength of India’s growing defence-industrial base.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the test as a “proof that the Indian industry is now ready to absorb and produce critical defence technologies.” He congratulated DRDO, its industry partners, and the contributing MSMEs and start-ups for their collaborative success.
Dr. Samir V. Kamat, Chairman of DRDO and Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D, emphasized the importance of such innovations. “The development of this weapon is the need of the hour. It reflects our commitment to strengthening India’s security through indigenous solutions,” he said.
As India continues to push forward with Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) in defence, the successful trial of the ULPGM-V3 serves as a testament to the nation’s growing technological prowess and industrial collaboration in the strategic sector.
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