Why India Needs a Robust Rocket – Missile Force?

Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi emphasises the need for a robust rocket–missile force to counter threats from China and Pakistan. The force will include systems like Pinaka, Pralay, and BrahMos for long-range precision strikes.

New Delhi: Underscoring the importance of creation of rocket force, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday stated its raising is the need of hour to counter threats from China and Pakistan.

Addressing a press conference ahead of Army Day celebration 2026, General Upendra Dwivedi said that the rockets and missiles are now intertwined as both are capable of delivering high, and decisive impact.

“We need a missile force. Today, you will see that rockets and missiles have become intertwined because if we want to achieve an impact, both rockets and missiles can deliver it. We are looking towards a rocket missile force because, as you know, Pakistan has established a rocket force, and China has also created such a force. It is the need of the hour that we also establish such a force,” the Army chief said.

What is a rocket missile force?

Expected to be a tri-service organization, the rocket-missile force would be a specialized military unit that combines long-range rockets and missiles under one command.

General Dwivedi said that modern warfare no longer treats these systems separately.

The rocket missile force would consist of systems such as Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher, Pralay tactical ballistic missile, and BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.

He pointed out that India has been expanding its long-range strike capabilities with successful tests of the Pinaka system with a range of 120 km. Last month, the DRDO had successfully conducted maiden flight-test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket. The rocket was tested for its maximum range of 120 kms.

“We have also signed several other contracts that will explore ranges up to 150 km, and later we will see it reaching a range of 300-450 km,” General Dwivedi added.

Former Indian Army chief also backs for creation of rocket force—

In October 2025, the former Army chief General Manoj Pande (Retd) had vouched for the raising of the rocket force for targets beyond 450km.

“In the recent conflicts and the ones that are ongoing, we have seen the utilisation of long-range missiles, long-range artillery to very good effect,” Manoj Pande had said in an interview.

“They not only give you longer ranges, they are more accurate. I would also suggest that it is more economical to have these long-range artillery or long-range missiles to have the same kind of effect.”

The former army chief pointed out that India's current missile inventory allows engagement of targets up to about 400-450 km.

"But beyond that range, while there are targets which are existing which you would want to target as part of your conventional operations and with conventional weapon systems, we do not have any means to do it," he said.

Hence, to achieve ranges beyond what we currently have, we need the conventional rocket forces or missile forces, he had said. In August 2025, Pakistan had revealed its plan to raise its Army Rocket Force. China already has such force that oversees a vast arsenal of land-based ballistic, cruise, and hypersonic missiles - both nuclear and conventional.

It operates as an independent branch of China's armed forces, responsible for deterrence, precision strikes, and strategic support missions.