Bhargavastra - Hard-Kill Micro-Missile System Designed to Counter Swarm Drones

India has successfully tested the Bhargavastra, its first hard-kill micro-missile system designed to counter swarm drones. It has been designed to counter the growing threat of swarm drones. ‘Bhargavastra,’ the multi-layered counter-drone system was tested at the Gopalpur Seaward Firing Ranges (GSFR), Odisha on January 12 and 13, 2025. The system successfully hit designated virtual targets over 2.5 km away and 400 meters above ground. The missile achieved a direct hit, guided by a full-authority Fire Control System, showcasing a cost-effective and innovative solution to neutralize large-scale drone attacks.

The Bhargavastra has been developed by Economic Explosives Ltd (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Group. Bhargavastra is equipped with cutting-edge capabilities, including detecting even small, incoming drones at a range of over 6 km. It neutralizes threats using guided micro-munitions, ensuring precision and effectiveness. The system, which can be mounted on mobile platforms for rapid deployment, is designed to operate seamlessly across diverse terrains, including high-altitude areas, to meet the unique operational needs of India’s armed forces.

Solution for Counter UAV Threats

Bhargavastra is a versatile system designed and developed as a multi-layer counter-drone system. Bhargavastra delivers hard kills against enemy UAVs at an affordable cost. An additional soft-kill layer is also being integrated to make the system a more comprehensive solution for all UAV threats. The system can also be integrated with the existing network of armed forces for network-centric warfare.

Bhargavastra features a Command-and-Control Centre equipped with advanced C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence) technology. It has a radar that can detect medium-to-large UAVs up to 10 km away and small drones at a range of 6 km away. An Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) system also has been integrated that ensures precise detection of low Radar Cross-Section (RCS) targets. Bhargavastra provides a situational awareness overview and can evaluate whether to neutralize individuals or swarms of enemy drones. It ensures the detection of low-RCS targets, enabling situational awareness and strategic response. The successful test of Bhargavastra reinforces India’s push for self-reliance in defense technology. EEL, a private Indian company, exemplifies commitment to the Atma Nirbhar Bharat policy.

Bhargavastra is a World-Class Innovation

According to the developers, Economic Explosives Ltd (EEL), a subsidiary of Solar Group; Bhargavastra has been engineered to perform effectively across India’s varied terrains, from deserts to mountainous regions, up to altitudes of 5 km above sea level. The system is particularly effective against swarms of autonomous drones, which are resistant to traditional jamming or spoofing techniques.

The Bhargavastra system represents a breakthrough in counter-drone technology. Open-source information suggests that while a few advanced nations are developing similar micro-missile systems, a multi-layered counter-drone platform with swarm neutralization capabilities like Bhargavastra has not been deployed anywhere in the world.

The second control trial was captured through an IR camera against a moving electronic target. The second test aimed at targeting a moving electronic UAV mimic. Economic Explosives Ltd. has indigenously designed and developed the micro-missile for the multi-layer counter-drone system 'Bhargavastra' to inflict hard kills on enemy UAVs at an affordable cost. India has successfully tested its first domestically developed micro-missile system, engineered to counter swarm drone threats. The new micro-missile system, being developed for the Indian Army, successfully engaged virtual targets beyond 2.5 km, demonstrating an economical solution against large-scale drone attacks that pose a continuous security challenge. Following these successful demonstrations, which were observed by senior Army officials, the system is positioned for comprehensive trials later this year, for integration into the armed forces.   

•As an indigenously developed counter-drone system, 'Bhargavastra', demonstrates the capability to detect small aerial vehicles at ranges exceeding 6 km and neutralize them using guided micro munitions.

•The Bhargavastra system features the simultaneous launch capability of 64 micro missiles, launched from a mobile launching platform. Each mobile launching platform, essentially a 4x4 truck can carry 16 missiles, providing tremendous operational flexibility.

•Economic Explosives Ltd is developing related systems to make it compatible as a mobile platform-mounted system, that help to ensure rapid deployment to threat areas.

•Its design accommodates operations across various terrains, including high-altitude regions, meeting specific military requirements. The system can be seamlessly integrated with any existing armed forces’ networks, thereby enhancing its utility in network-centric warfare.

•As the first micro missile-based counter-drone system developed for Army Air Defense, it addresses a crucial capability gap. The Indian Air Force has also expressed interest, with few comparable systems existing globally.

•It is designed to operate in all terrains, including high-altitude areas, to meet specific requirements of the armed forces.

•It is designed to meet the requirements of the Army Air Defense.

The widespread availability of affordable drones, particularly in swarm formations in recent years has presented significant challenges to armed forces worldwide who traditionally have relied on costly air defense/SAM missiles for asset protection.

While drones cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, the counter as missiles or SAM cost millions of dollars each.  How effective these cheap drones are and how they financially drain the adversary has been effectively demonstrated during the ongoing Azerbaijan-Armenia war, Russia-Ukraine war, and Israel-Hamas War, where drone swarms have made air defense systems to stretch themselves to the maximum limit. Till date over 100,000 drones have been deployed annually, in these wars that are often countered using expensive surface-to-air missiles. It also means that since the costly air defense SAMs will be stretched to their limits when drone swarms are launched, the remaining drones of the swarm that the SAMs couldn’t tackle will slip through and hit their target causing havoc. As such there is a pressing need for cost-effective systems targeting drone threats, whilst preserving advanced air defense systems for more substantial threats.

Toward Induction as Next Step

The recent tests at the Gopalpur Seaward Firing Ranges, Odisha on January 12 and 13, 2025; were witnessed by senior Indian Army officials and marked a significant milestone in the system’s development. These successful trials meant that the Bhargavastra micro missile system is poised to undergo more exhaustive testing later this year. Post evaluation, the eventual induction of Bhargavastra into the armed forces, is set to happen in 2026 or 2027; thereby bolstering India’s defense capabilities against evolving drone threats.

What are Swarm Drones?

SWARM effectively stands for “Smart War-Fighting Array of Reconfigured Modules.” Drone swarm technologies coordinate at least three and even up to thousands of drones to perform missions to hit a designated target comparatively with limited need for human attention and control at much lower cost without the risk of losing a pilot or a fighter jet if the air force was designated to hit that target using a fighter jet.

For example, an aerial drone swarm could potentially assist with controlling a wildfire, assessing damages, finding access points, and suppressing the fire by raining firefighting liquids on it—all with minimal human direction. Drone swarms may be more efficient and robust for certain applications than single drones because swarms can complete various tasks in parallel without human supervision, and they can continue operating if individual drones become inoperable.

Drone swarms integrate advanced computer algorithms with local sensing and communication technologies to synchronize multiple drones to achieve a goal. Drone swarms can use various command and control methods, including preprogrammed missions with specific predefined flight paths, centralized control by a ground station or a single control drone, or distributed control where the drones communicate and collaborate based on shared information.