Republic Day 2026: DRDO to showcase its path-breaking innovations at Kartavya Path, Bharat Parv

New Delhi [India], January 22 : The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) will showcase some of its path-breaking innovations for national security during the 77th Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path and Bharat Parv 2026. The systems are: Long Range Anti-Ship Hypersonic Missile (LR-AShM) and DRDO Tableau-'Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines'.
According to an official release issued by the Defence Ministry, the DRDO will showcase LR-AShM with a launcher during the parade. This weapon system is designed to meet the coastal battery requirements of the Indian Navy. The LR-AShM is a Hypersonic Glide Missile capable of engaging static and moving targets and is designed to carry various payloads. The missile is a first-of-its-kind with indigenous avionics systems and high-accuracy sensor packages.
This hypersonic missile follows a quasi-ballistic trajectory, with hypersonic speeds starting at Mach 10 and maintaining an average Mach 5.0, including multiple skips. Indigenously developed sensors are provided to engage moving targets during the terminal phase. As this missile flies at low altitude, high speed, and with high manoeuvrability, enemy ground- and ship-based radars cannot detect it for most of its trajectory.
The LR-AShM is equipped with a two-stage solid-propulsion rocket motor system. These propulsion systems boost the missile to the required hypersonic velocities. Stage-1 of the vehicle is separated after it is spent. After Stage-II burnout, the vehicle performs an unpowered glide with required manoeuvres in the atmosphere before engaging the target, the release read.
This year, the DRDO tableau will be showcased at Bharat Parv at Red Fort from January 26 to 31, 2026. The theme of the tableau is 'Naval Technologies for Combat Submarines', which will display indigenously developed technologies/systems that act as force multipliers for the Indian Navy's conventional submarines. These systems are the Integrated Combat Suite (ICS), the Wire-Guided Heavy Weight Torpedo (WGHWT) & Air Independent Propulsion, which will ensure combat supremacy in the underwater domain.
According to the release, the ICS is a new-generation submarine-based defence system vital for underwater warfare and anti-submarine operations. It is a system of systems that provides unparalleled situational awareness by presenting the threat picture to support tactical decisions and actions, such as weapon selection, launch, and guidance. The ICS is a collaborative effort from eight DRDO laboratories with active involvement of about 150 major industry partners and MSMEs across India.
The WGHWT is a state-of-the-art submarine-launched torpedo to counter contemporary ship & submarine threats in oceanic waters. It is considered to be a lethal weapon in the scenario of anti-submarine warfare and is the primary weapon of all submarines. The Indian Navy is continuously expanding its submarine fleet to maintain dominance in blue-water naval warfare and strategic advantage across a vast stretch of ocean around the country. To achieve this, it needs an indigenously developed submarine-launched anti-ship, anti-submarine heavyweight torpedo with high speed and endurance.
The AIP is for long underwater endurance in submarines, thereby enhancing stealth. It is powered by la ocally developed phosphoric acid fuel cell with a novel onboard hydrogen generator. The AIP system generates power using phosphoric acid fuel cells, which are fed hydrogen and oxygen. The fuel cell-generated power, after conditioning, is fed to the submarine power line, and the submarine propels silently underwater. The technology developed is modular and can be configured for futuristic submarines as well.
Many more DRDO-developed systems will also be displayed in Armed Forces contingents during the parade at Kartavya Path. These include Arjun Main Battle Tank, Nag Missile System (NAMIS-II), Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, BrahMos Missile, Akash, Battle Field Surveillance Radar and Anti-Tank Guided Missile.
The DRDO has been a design and development agency for the Armed Forces and, to reinforce the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, is partnering with all stakeholders of the defence ecosystem, including academia, industry, and services, in developing state-of-the-art defence systems. Indigenous development of these systems by DRDO is a major achievement towards self-reliance in defence technologies and an important step forward towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat.