DRDO clocks 1,200-second breakthrough in scramjet test, boosts India’s hypersonic missile ambitions

New Delhi, May 9. India marked a major advance in hypersonic propulsion technology after the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), a key arm of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), successfully completed a long-duration ground test of its indigenously developed actively cooled, full-scale scramjet combustor in Hyderabad on May 9.

The test, conducted at the state-of-the-art Scramjet Connect Pipe Test Facility, achieved a run-time of over 1,200 seconds, significantly surpassing an earlier milestone of more than 700 seconds recorded in January this year. Officials said the result represents a path-breaking step in India’s quest to develop hypersonic cruise missile capability.

The combustor, designed and developed by DRDL and realised with support from industry partners, uses a cutting-edge supersonic air-breathing engine configuration. It is powered by an indigenously developed liquid hydrocarbon endothermic fuel and incorporates advanced high-temperature thermal barrier coatings and modern manufacturing techniques.

Scientists said the successful trial validated not only the design of the advanced actively cooled scramjet combustor but also demonstrated the capabilities of the advanced ground testing infrastructure available at the Hyderabad facility.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the achievement and congratulated DRDO scientists, industry collaborators and academia. He described the test as laying a strong foundation for India’s Hypersonic Cruise Missile Development Programme.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat also commended the teams involved in the project, calling the milestone a significant boost to India’s advanced aerospace and next-generation weapons research.