**Summary of Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) Maiden Flight-Trial**
On May 7, 2026, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully conducted the maiden flight-trial of the Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon system off the coast of Odisha.
**Key Technical and Development Details:**
* **System Function:** TARA is India’s first indigenous modular range extension kit designed to convert unguided warheads into precision-guided glide weapons.
* **Objective:** The system is engineered to enhance the accuracy and lethality of low-cost weapons for neutralizing ground-based targets using state-of-the-art, low-cost systems.
* **Development:** The weapon was designed and developed by the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, in coordination with other DRDO laboratories.
* **Production:** Development cum Production Partners (DcPP) and other Indian industrial partners have already initiated production activities for the kit.
**Official Commendations:**
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh described the trial as a significant advancement in India’s indigenous defense capabilities. Further congratulations were offered by Dr. Samir V Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO, to the participating teams from the IAF, DRDO, and industry partners.
**Administrative Information:**
* **Release Date:** May 8, 2026
* **Location:** PIB Delhi
* **Release ID:** 2258934
* **Visitor Counter:** 3021
* **Source Reference:** VK/Savvy
Key Entities Referenced
Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA): India’s first indigenous modular range extension kit and glide weapon system designed to convert unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO): The primary research and development agency that successfully designed, developed, and conducted the maiden flight-trial of the TARA weapon.
Indian Air Force (IAF): The military arm that collaborated with DRDO to successfully conduct the maiden flight-trial of the TARA weapon system.
Research Centre Imarat (RCI): The specific DRDO laboratory in Hyderabad responsible for the design and development of the TARA weapon system.
Ministry of Defence
DRDO & IAF successfully conduct maiden flight-
trial of Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation
weapon
Posted On: 08 MAY 2026 10:07AM by PIB Delhi
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully
conducted the maiden flight-trial of Tactical Advanced Range Augmentation (TARA) weapon off the coast
of Odisha on May 07, 2026. TARA, the modular range extension kit, is India’s first indigenous glide
weapon system to convert unguided warheads into precision guided weapons.
TARA has been designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad along with other
DRDO laboratories to enhance the lethality and accuracy of a low-cost weapon to neutralise ground-based
targets. It is the first glide weapon to utilise state-of-the-art low-cost systems. The development of the kit
has been undertaken with Development cum Production Partners (DcPP) & other Indian industries, which
have already started the production activity.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO, IAF, DcPP, and the Industry for the maiden
flight-trial, describing it as a significant development in advancing India’s indigenous defence capabilities.
Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr Samir V Kamat also congratulated the
teams associated with the successful flight-trial.
*******
VK/Savvy
(Release ID: 2258934) Visitor Counter : 3021
Read this release in: Gujarati , Urdu , ही , Marathi , Bengali , Bengali-TR , Tamil , Telugu , Kannada