New Delhi: India today said its defence research agency has successfully fight-tested the locally made Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) for a minimum range, boosting the ground forces’ lethality against enemy battle tanks.

Today’s test has also increased the chances of the weapon system’s induction into the Indian Army after user validation in the next few months, in a major success of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat‘ (Self-Reliant India) initiative of the Narendra Modi government.

The low weight, fire-and-forget MPATGM was tested by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The missile was launched from a man portable launcher integrated with thermal site and the target was mimicking a tank, according to a DRDO statement.

“The missile hit the target in the direct-attack mode and destroyed it with precision. The test has validated the minimum range successfully. All the mission objectives were met. The missile has already been successfully flight tested for the maximum range,” the statement said.

The missile is incorporated with state-of-the-art miniaturized Infrared Imaging Seeker along with advanced avionics. The test brings the development of indigenous third-generation MPATGM close to completion.

Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh has congratulated the DRDO and the industry for the successful test. DRDO Chairman and Government of India‘s Department of Defence Research and Development Secretary Dr G. Satheesh Reddy congratulated the team for the successful test.

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