India test-fires anti-tank missile Nag in Pokhran, enters production phase

The long-awaited final user trial of India’s third generation anti-tank guided missile Nag was successfully carried out on Thursday at the Pokhran range in Rajasthan. The missile was integrated with an actual warhead and a tank target was kept at a designated distance, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials said.

The missile was launched from the Nag missile carrier NAMICA; it hit the target accurately and defeated the dummy tank's armour.

Nag is now a step closer to being inducted into the Indian Army after its successful winter and summer trials in 2019, the DRDO said.

A press release from the Ministry of Defence said, “With this final user trial, Nag will enter into the production phase. The missile will be produced by Defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), whereas Ordnance Factory, Medak will produce the NAMICA.”

The anti-tank guided missile or ATGM Nag has been developed by the DRDO to engage heavily armoured enemy tanks in day and night conditions.

It has a minimum range of 500 metres and maximum range of four kilometres.

The missile has ‘fire-and-forget’ and ‘top attack’ capabilities with passive homing guidance to defeat all main battle tanks equipped with composite and reactive armour.

The missile carrier NAMICA is a Russian-origin BMP-II based system with amphibious capability.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the DRDO and the Army for the successful trial of the Nag missile.

DRDO chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy appreciated the efforts of the research organisation, the Army and the industry in bringing the missile up to production phase.