Integrated Rocket Force: News & Discussion

[Rakesh]

Starting a new thread on this topic, as the IRF is going to be a major arm of India's future offensive structure.

Starting off with some articles on this topic.

================================

Is IT TIME for India's Rocket Force?
https://www.neliti.com/publications/327 ... cket-force
By Bimal Monga, Summer 2020

India "Looking At Creating Rocket Force": General Bipin Rawat
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-l ... at-2542323
16 Sept 2021

India’s Coming ‘Rocket Force’
https://thediplomat.com/2021/11/indias- ... ket-force/
By Saurav Jha, 06 Nov 2021

[Rakesh]

Brahmos deployment on India-China border poses no threat to China’s security: Report
https://www.wefornews.com/brahmos-deplo ... ty-report/
15 November 2021

Chinese observers slammed the Indian government’s plan to deploy the BrahMos missile – its most advanced missile – at the India-China border, warning it would add new barriers in talks to peacefully address the border tension and further deteriorate ties, Global Times reported.

These are the tweets the above article is referring to....

https://twitter.com/globaltimesnews/sta ... 52551?s=20 ---> Chinese observers slammed India’s plan to deploy BrahMos missile – its most advanced missile – at India-China border, warning it would add new barriers to talks to peacefully address the border tension and further deteriorate ties.

https://twitter.com/globaltimesnews/sta ... 15844?s=20 ---> The new Indian weapon would be only of theoretical use while posing no actual threat to China’s security, said Chinese observers.

[Rakesh]

https://twitter.com/SJha1618/status/155 ... dF1uECKNZw ---> Operating from high-altitude bases in Tibet, the PLA Air Force will manage a performance worse than the Rus AF over Ukraine. China will depend on Army MLRS & the PLA Rocket Force. Advantage India if it puts up an 'Integrated Rocket Force' of its own.

[Pratyush]

https://twitter.com/SJha1618/status/155 ... dF1uECKNZw ---> Operating from high-altitude bases in Tibet, the PLA Air Force will manage a performance worse than the Rus AF over Ukraine. China will depend on Army MLRS & the PLA Rocket Force. Advantage India if it puts up an 'Integrated Rocket Force' of its own.

This is not a good place to be. If the PRC builds a substantial tanker fleet. The air base altitude will stop to matter. The rocket force is just a short term solution.

[Prem Kumar]

With CDS Gen Rawat's untimely demise, all this talk of Rocket Force, Theater Commands etc have all come to a standstill. There is no new thinking.

The services are happy doing their usual thing. I think the IAF Chief's repeated MRFA pronouncements would have been nipped in the bud (or at least curtailed), if a Gen Rawat was with us today.

[fanne]

One question that was bothering me was why was Pralay put under SFC? Perhaps to fast track its development and deployment.

[Rakesh]

With CDS Gen Rawat's untimely demise, all this talk of Rocket Force, Theater Commands etc have all come to a standstill. There is no new thinking.

The services are happy doing their usual thing. I think the IAF Chief's repeated MRFA pronouncements would have been nipped in the bud (or at least curtailed), if a Gen Rawat was with us today.

The new CDS has already hit the ground running....

https://twitter.com/TheLegateIN/status/ ... rger-FwmJQ ---> Report: All conventional missile regiments (BrahMos, Pralay and other SSBM) as well as long range MLRS units planned to be placed under a newly created 'Missile Command'.

[Rakesh]

Ramjet technology can counter China’s long-range missiles, beat Himalayan terrain limitation
https://theprint.in/opinion/ramjet-tech ... n/1143131/
26 Sept 2022

[ShauryaT]

We need to invest in MLRS and SSBM for conventional forces. From a value stand point, a Brahmos and/or Nibhay, costs $5m+ and to be used for value appropriate targets. But to sustain a high rate of fire on the battlefield and act as extended artillery we need to lower cost per kilo of destruction and needs are in millions of kilos.

[bala]

sustain a high rate of fire

Is this backward to state we need a high rate of fire. We found the same in automatic rifles which require a 3 shot instead of continuously emptying the clip. I would advocate for precise strike (maybe 3 into the same target just to make sure of the damage). Having advanced detection of the sources and striking them exactly is of higher value than having a high rate of fire.

[Thakur_B]

IRF is going to be as productive as Space Command, Cyber Command and AFSOD have been so far.

Besides, with IAF leading the space command, IN cyber command and IA leading AFSOD, who will lead the IRF.

[Rakesh]

Tri-services Missile Command on anvil as stand-off weapons era dawns

[Rakesh]

After Pralay, defence forces may opt for medium-range ballistic missiles in conventional roles for rocket force
https://aninews.in/news/national/genera ... 105195450/
05 Nov 2023

[Rakesh]

^^^

https://x.com/VivekSi85847001/status/17 ... 57752?s=20 ---> The Indian Army is looking for a 2,000 km range conventional ballistic missile in its arsenal, to strike deep into enemy territory after having the Pralay missile. The army is going to pick one missile from the Agni Series for this role and most probably it will be the Agni Prime.

[Prem Kumar]

Very good news!

1 unit of Pralay (120) was ordered in Dec 2022
2 more units (250) were in advanced stages of procurement in April 2023. Don't know if orders have been placed

Hopefully the 370 Pralays get inducted ASAP & parallel orders of Agni-P-conventional get progressed too. We need these in the 1000s. Both missiles are ready. I hope the IA inducts them as-is & does not ask for "modifications", which typically means a multi-year delay

Nothing will deter the Panda better than the likelihood of a massive retaliatory conventional strike

[Rakesh]

Bingo! You hit the nail on the head with regards to retaliatory strikes. While other platforms / systems are important; a massive and capable - with an assured retaliatory capability - will give the PRC a moment of pause. No point in teaching India a lesson, if you are going to face an equal amount of damage.

After General Rawat’s untimely death, it appeared that the Integrated Rocket Force was put on the back burner. Happy to see that it is on track. And of all our local military R&D endeavours…our missile programs have enjoyed the greatest acceptance with the services.

P.S. India’s Integrated Rocket Force needs to be distinct from the Strategic Forces Command and have only a conventional role.

[Prem Kumar]

On cue, Pralay was tested a short while ago. Encouraging signs that induction is imminent

Look forward to the day that user-tests happen from their production-stocks (like Brahmos)

[Rakesh]

On cue, Pralay was tested a short while ago. Encouraging signs that induction is imminent

Look forward to the day that user-tests happen from their production-stocks (like Brahmos)

https://x.com/VivekSi85847001/status/17 ... 00455?s=20 ---> India's DRDO successfully test fired the Pralay Short Range Ballistic Missile today at 9:50 am from Abdul Kalam Island near Coast of Odisha. The missile testing range was up to 475 km. The Pralay is a Surface to Surface missile with range up to 500 km depend on warhead.

[Rakesh]

Indian Rocket Force’s 1500 km Missile Threatens China’s Vital Interests Much Beyond the Border
https://www.defencenews.in/2023/11/indi ... he-border/
07 Nov 2023

[Rakesh]

India developing hypersonic missiles; Army looking to induct long-range rockets, loitering munitions, Pralay, Nirbhay missiles: Top official
https://aninews.in/news/national/genera ... 927190725/
27 Sept 2024

[Rakesh]

India tests Pralay quasi-ballistic missile twice for conventional precision strikes
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ind ... 976785.cms
29 July 2025

Below article is from 2017, but a very good info sheet on the missile.

PRALAY: India’s New Under Development Conventional Strike Surface-to-Surface Missile
https://delhidefencereview.com/2017/06/ ... e-missile/
13 June 2017

[uddu]

250 for IA and 120 for IAF on order.

Amid conflict, India approves 120 Pralay missiles for armed forces along China border
https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/i ... 2022-12-25
25 Dec 2022

"The project to create a rocket force has received a boost as the proposal to buy around 120 Pralay ballistic missiles has been cleared by a high-level defence ministry meeting," top government sources told India Today. The missiles are now being mass-produced and are expected to be ready for operational service in the near future, they said.

[Rakesh]

Army signs deal to procure long-range rocket launchers Suryastra
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ ... 468168.ece
03 Jan 2026

It has signed a ₹293 crore contract with NIBE Limited, backed by Israeli technology, for an advanced long-range rocket launcher system, in collaboration with Israel, with strike capabilities of 150 km and 300 km

https://x.com/IXGguy/status/2007720054293704986?s=20 ---> IDDM - Israeli Designed, Developed and Manufactured.

[Rakesh]

^^^
Indian Army Places Rs 293-Crore Emergency Order for PULS Rocket Systems
https://bharatshakti.in/indian-army-pla ... e_vignette
03 Jan 2026

[Rakesh]

https://x.com/Indrani1_Roy/status/20079 ... 92884?s=20 ---> Atmanirbharta!

[Rakesh]

VIDEO: https://x.com/BharatShaktiBSI/status/20 ... 08334?s=20 ---> Why Pralay Missile is a game changer for the Indian Army. Watch @nitingokhale speak with Lieutenant General VK Saxena (retd).

[Rakesh]

^^^
Indian Army Places Rs 293-Crore Emergency Order for PULS Rocket Systems
https://bharatshakti.in/indian-army-pla ... e_vignette
03 Jan 2026

https://x.com/Defencematrix1/status/200 ... 64210?s=20 ---> Now coming to the Argument of why go for PULS when we have Prahar. So below are the pictures of Prahar, PULS and Pinaka LRGR. With Prahar, max range you can hit is 150 km, max 6 missiles can be carried with 250 kg of warhead, missile's weight is almost 1,300 kg. The vehicle is a 12x12 heavy, the newer version i.e Pranaash will have 200km of range.

Second is PULS, now for similar 150 km range the rocket is EXTRAA with weight of 570 kg warhead is around 120 kg, and 8 rockets can carried on a 6x6 truck. Even in Pinaka LRGR, you can carry 8 rockets and get a range of 120 km on a 8x8 truck. Now, for the similar range system, how will you use a 12x12 heavy vehicle to launch 1,300 kg missile as rocket artillery? This is a shoot and scoot system, can you do that with massive 12x12 truck?
That's why Pinka LRGR makes more sense.

Even in PULS you can launch 4 predator hawk missile 800kg from same launcher which is a 6X6 truck and reach a range of 300 km range with 140 kg warhead. So it makes sense to develop Pinaka LRGR with higher ranges than to use Prahaar for the same purpose.

[pravula]

^^^ It looks like the scaling is nearly linear. 250kg warhead@1300kg vs 120kg warhead@530kg rocket weight. The extra weight is probably due to counter measures and non-ballistic path. PULS is competing with Pinaka

[Prem Kumar]

Well, did the IA involve itself in the GSQR of the Pra-series? DRDO didn't pull the 250 Kgs warhead out of its musharraf. That defined the weight of the missile and the tonnage of the missile-carrying vehicle

Truth is: the IA cannot think beyond its nose. Without Gen Rawat & Parikkar, we wouldn't even be thinking of a rocket force. Even now, they dont know what mix of missiles & rockets they want. They are just happy making piecemeal, emergency imports from their favorite vendors in exchange for favors

[VinodTK]

With Pinaka, Pralay and BrahMos at core, India needs its own dedicated 'Rocket Force Command', says army chief

India's Army chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, has underlined the need for the country to establish a dedicated rocket and missile force, calling it a strategic necessity in the current security environment.

Speaking to the media during his annual Army Day press conference, he said modern warfare has blurred the distinction between rockets and missiles, with both now capable of delivering decisive impact. Given that Pakistan and China have already created specialised rocket forces, he said it is essential for India to move in the same direction.

General Upendra Dwivedi said the Army is steadily expanding its long-range strike capabilities. He pointed to successful tests of the indigenous Pinaka system with a range of 120 km, and said additional contracts have been signed to extend its reach to 150 km in the near term. Over time, the Army is looking at ranges of 300 to 450 km, alongside existing systems such as Pralay and BrahMos, to build a credible and layered strike capability.

Responding to a question on Operation Sindoor, the Army chief dismissed suggestions of military-level nuclear signalling during recent tensions. He said nuclear issues did not feature in talks between the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs), and any nuclear rhetoric originated from political voices or public discourse in Pakistan, not its armed forces.

General Dwivedi said India's actions during the operation demonstrated that the space for conventional military responses remains viable. He noted that the Army deliberately expanded this conventional space through calibrated and sustained operations, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir. He said the scale of firing and manoeuvres during the 88-hour period showed that Indian forces were fully mobilised and prepared to launch ground operations if Pakistan had escalated further, adding that significant losses were inflicted on Pakistani personnel during the engagement.

The remarks come amid reports that Pakistan is moving to create a dedicated Rocket Force Command to bolster its long-range strike capabilities. According to media reports citing intelligence sources, the proposal has received approval at the level of Pakistan's senior military leadership and is expected to be formalised in the coming months. The planned force is said to be inspired by China's Rocket Force, which was established in 2015 as part of Beijing's broader military modernisation programme, and is aimed at strengthening missile-based deterrence following setbacks suffered by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.

From: money control

[Rakesh]

Integrated Rocket Force: India’s missing piece in conventional deterrence
https://thefederal.com/the-federal-spec ... tan-236002
25 March 2026

As global warfare shifts toward long-range precision strikes, India moves to bridge the gap with a dedicated missile arm distinct from its nuclear command.

[Rakesh]

Indian Army to order 800 Km plus strike range BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles
https://aninews.in/news/national/genera ... 326202206/
26 March 2026

[SRajesh]

The article making a case for separate Rocket Force. How fast can CDS co-ordinate in times of crisis?? with the present setup? Are the Pakis smarting up after Op Sindoor?

Why India Needs A Separate Rocket Force — And Why The IAF Doesn't Want One
https://swarajyamag.com/defence/why-ind ... t-want-one
10 April 2026

[Manish_Sharma]

Why India Needs A Separate Rocket Force — And Why The IAF Doesn't Want One
https://swarajyamag.com/defence/why-ind ... t-want-one
10 April 2026

India’s strike power is being held hostage not by capability, but by an Air Force guarding its turf.

[Rakesh]

Why India Needs A Separate Rocket Force — And Why The IAF Doesn't Want One
https://swarajyamag.com/defence/why-ind ... t-want-one
10 April 2026

Hakeem posted a counter view to the above article. Please see link below.

Rocket force versus Air Force? An analysis based on capability and history
https://x.com/shiv_cybersurg/status/204 ... 76611?s=20
10 April 2026

[VinodTK]

Why India Needs A Separate Rocket Force — And Why The IAF Doesn't Want One
https://swarajyamag.com/defence/why-ind ... t-want-one
10 April 2026

India’s strike power is being held hostage not by capability, but by an Air Force guarding its turf.

It's hard to believe that folks join the service (IAF) to serve the country and put their lives on the line if needed is what they claim; yet in reality their focus seems to be their job / salary / power. (All before the country).

What is the RM doing?

[Prem Kumar]

Rocket Force, irrespective of whose command its under, is long overdue. It can decisively tilt the nuclear balance in India's favor, by taking out PAF on the ground. But hey, the IAF jocks want their A2A battles, not actually win the War.

The IAF dreams of short-n-sweet wars because they are not prepared for a long one. A long-drawn war will force them to contend with their stupidity of choosing a few gold-plated platforms instead of mass-inducting homegrown aircraft.

Solution: give gyan that future wars will be short (though the enemy may disagree)

[Manish_P]

...
Hakeem posted a counter view to the above article. Please see link below.

Rocket force versus Air Force? An analysis based on capability and history
https://x.com/shiv_cybersurg/status/204 ... 76611?s=20
10 April 2026

Forgive me but there seems to be a lot of vested interests trying to stoke controversy for their own reasons (clicks, TRPs, relevancy,...)

Who has said we don't need a Rocket force... who has said we don't need an air force?

Our 'journalists' seem to be the ones churning out some baiting words and then getting everybody chime in on that.

From the Hakeems thread i think this is the post which started this particular flame-war.

1)

When i click on that tweet, i get to following tweet

2)

and when i click on that tweet, i get to this following tweet

3)

And then there is nothing further to click. No link to any page or video.

So where is the exact statement of the Air Marshall (Retd)?

And yes, i have checked the X timeline of Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor both. There is only one video of approx 2.5 mins and the retired Air Marshal only briefly talks about how they were more prepared during Operation Sindoor due to better integrated sensor and info systems in place.

[Manish_P]

Found it. The Retd. AM made a statement in response to a question during the Q&A session during the session. IMHO very important to understand the context of the question and also to understand the depth of the response. Around the 1:11:00 mark.

Vishnu Som Launches His First Book 'The Sky Warriors: Operation Sindoor Unveiled'

NDTV's Senior Managing Editor Vishnu Som on Monday launched his first book 'The Sky Warriors: Operation Sindoor Unveiled'. It offers a cockpit-eye view of Operation Sindoor - the 2025 Indian heavy-hammer response to Pakistan following the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

[Rakesh]

Irrespective of the journos spinning this (and they obviously are!), the retired Air Marshal did question the usefulness of drones and missiles in relation to manned fighter aircraft. All this brouhaha - from the Air Force - will die down, the moment the 114 Rafale deal get signed. This is takleef coming from Air HQ, because there is a fear that if the Integrated Rocket Force and RSPAs/UCAVs take hold, their precious MRFA could get sidelined, reduced in number or even outright cancelled. And that would be a disaster for Air HQ's ORBAT planning.

Air HQ is living in a silo, IMVHO. I find it surprising that the retired Air Marshal is still hell bent relying on manned fighters during the initial stages of a conflict. It was his very own service that prevailed in the war against Pakistan on the night of May 10th. And that was from supersonic missiles i.e. BrahMos and not from manned fighter aircraft. It was BrahMos - and not Rafale - that prompted GHQ, Islamabad to raise the white flag. What BrahMos successfully managed to do, was what should have been done on the first night. That blame however rests solely on the Govt. The decision for non-escalatory action was quite frankly unnecessary.

Manned fighter aircraft are still very important and will play a key role, but this attitude of "I-will-protect-my-turf-at-all-costs" does not serve the country.