On October 16, 2024, News.Az reported that the Indian Ministry of Defense authorized the export of Pralay quasi-ballistic missiles to Armenia, marking an important step in strengthening the defense partnership between India and Armenia. This decision, which has yet to receive official confirmation from the Armenian Ministry of Defense, reflects India’s intent to conclude an agreement aimed at bolstering Armenia’s defensive capabilities in a context of regional tensions. According to Alpha Defense, this potential agreement is at an advanced stage, with sources indicating that India is actively negotiating to finalize it in the near future.
The Pralay missile, developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is an advanced short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, primarily designed for tactical use in combat conditions. Launched in 2015, the Pralay program represents a strategic advancement for India’s missile arsenal, incorporating sophisticated quasi-ballistic trajectory adjustments that allow the missile to evade interceptors and anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defenses. The missile has already successfully completed several tests, with the first two conducted in December 2021 and a third in November 2023, each demonstrating the missile’s accuracy, payload capacity, and terminal maneuverability.
The Pralay’s unique quasi-ballistic trajectory enables it to shift from a traditional ballistic path to a flatter trajectory after launch, making interception more difficult by reducing its radar profile. This feature, combined with high speed and terminal maneuverability, brings the Pralay closer to the Russian Iskander-M missile, which has proven effective in recent conflicts, notably in Ukraine. The Pralay shares characteristics with the Iskander-M, such as a CEP (Circular Error Probable) of around 10 meters, highlighting its high accuracy and ability to evade air defenses.