India’s ‘Project Vishnu’ Unleashes Missile That Can Hit Enemy 1,500 Km Away at 8x Speed of Sound

India has tested a game-changing hypersonic missile that could join the ranks of elite nations. What makes it a strategic leap in firepower?

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Extended Trajectory Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM)

India has carried out a significant test of a new hypersonic missile, potentially placing the country alongside global military powers like the United States, Russia, and China. The missile, named Extended Trajectory Long Duration Hypersonic Cruise Missile (ET-LDHCM), is being developed under the DRDO’s Project Vishnu and represents a major advancement in India’s long-range precision strike capabilities.

The ET-LDHCM can reportedly reach speeds of Mach 8, eight times the speed of sound, or approximately 11,000 km/h, and strike targets up to 1,500 kilometres away. This far exceeds the current reach of the BrahMos missile, which has a maximum speed of Mach 3 and a range of about 450 km. With these capabilities, India enters the hypersonic arms race with a system that blends speed, distance, and stealth.

This test comes amid rising geopolitical tensions. The Israel-Iran conflict, escalating India-Pakistan strain, and growing alignment between Turkey and Pakistan have all contributed to India’s urgency in modernising its missile arsenal. The country has already expanded its defence efforts through upgrades to its BrahMos, Agni-5, and Akash missile systems.

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Game-Changing Strategic Edge

At the heart of the ET-LDHCM is a scramjet engine, an air-breathing propulsion system that operates without a rotating compressor and uses atmospheric oxygen. This allows for sustained hypersonic speeds, making the missile difficult to intercept or track by conventional radar systems. Its low-altitude flight path, coupled with its precision targeting, makes it ideal for striking fortified or high-value targets in sensitive regions.

The missile’s payload capacity, estimated between 1,000 and 2,000 kilograms, allows it to carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, giving India a flexible platform to respond to different threat levels. It can be launched from land, air, or naval platforms, further enhancing its strategic utility. Its mid-flight course correction capability gives it dynamic flexibility in real-time combat environments.

Thermal management has been another key component of the system's design. The missile is engineered to withstand temperatures exceeding 2,000°C during its hypersonic cruise phase, ensuring its structural and performance integrity even under extreme heat stress.

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A Step Toward Global Hypersonic Club

Currently, Russia, China, and the US are the only countries with operational hypersonic cruise missile technology. If India's ET-LDHCM test proves successful in operational deployment, it would mark a strategic milestone, placing India among an elite group of military powers with indigenous hypersonic capabilities.

The implications are especially significant in the regional context. The ET-LDHCM would reinforce India's deterrence against Pakistan, while acting as a critical counterweight to China’s growing presence in the Indo-Pacific region. For New Delhi, the goal is not just symbolic parity, but practical superiority in high-speed, precision warfare.

While full deployment timelines and official confirmation of the missile’s performance remain pending, the ET-LDHCM represents a turning point in India’s missile development roadmap. The combination of range, speed, and multi-platform operability points to a future where India may shift from strategic defence to credible first-strike deterrence, anchored in next-gen tech.